7 out of 13 applications get approval in principle

Kolkata: Tea tourism in Bengal has kicked off with the receipt of 13 applications and seven of them have already got the approval in principle from the state government.

The state government came up with the Tea Tourism & Allied Business Policy 2019 by increasing the land ceiling for tourism projects and other specific commercial purposes to 15 per cent of the total plot available with a garden, subject to a maximum of 150 acres. The state also allowed construction on 40 per cent of the land earmarked for tourism and other commercial activities.

"Majority of the seven applicants who have already been given in-principle approval have submitted their DPR (Detailed Project Report), which are presently being scrutinised by the state Industry and Commerce department," a senior Nabanna official said.

Sources in the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation (WBIDC) said four of the applications are in the documentation stage while two are waiting for in-principle approval of the screening committee which is headed by the Chief Secretary. The majority of the applications have been for setting up hotels or resorts. "Tourism resorts, wellness centres, schools, colleges, universities medical/ nursing colleges, hospitals, cultural/ recreational and exhibition centres, horticulture, floriculture, medicinal plants, food processing units, packaging units will be allowed, according to the policy," a senior official of the WBIDC said.

The WBIDC has also notified a single window for application. Previously, applications were made through the District Magistrate, the Land and Land Reforms department which caused unnecessary delays.

The policy mandates that employment from a new project must be generated in a manner that 80 percent of the locals get opportunities and are absorbed. Preference shall be given to the wards of workers of the concerned tea gardens. The policy also offers the option of shifting labour quarters to get contiguous land but the project planned in the garden should be in consonance with ecological and environmental regulations.

"This will generate enhanced investment and employment opportunities for sustainable and inclusive economic development by way of effective utilisation of surplus land in tea gardens located in North Dinajpur, Alipurduar, Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling and Kalimpong without any curtailment/ compromise in area under tea plantation," the WBIDC official added.

The state government had introduced the Tea Tourism policy in 2013 allowing gardens to use a maximum of five acres of land for tourism. Construction could be carried out on 1.5 acres if the garden is in the plains and on 1 acre if the estate is in the hills.

However, the tea planters' fraternity had felt discouraged to take up tourism projects in their gardens, as they felt the stipulated land was too less to initiate any such project.