Asis Chakraborty visits tea gardens, holds discussion with members of societies

Kolkata: State Trinamool secretary and state leader of the Cooperative Asis Chakraborty visited two gardens — Adivasi Utthan Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd. (Hantapara Madarihat Block) and Madhubagan Multipurpose Cooperative Society (Kalchini Block) — and held a discussion with the members of the societies.

He also assured various types of cooperative training in the coming days through the State Cooperative Union.

The State Co-operative Union and Co-operative department have been continuously helping these two societies over the past few years. About 4-5 such cooperative societies are working in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts with various successes. State Cooperative Union official Alok Ghosh and prominent local philanthropist Rupam Dev played significant roles in this meeting.

Today, many tea estates have become self-supporting through cooperatives, from the non-functioning tea estates of various times. Adivasi Utthan Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd. (Hantapara Madarihat Block) and Madhubagan Multipurpose Cooperative Society (Kalchini Block) were established only a few years ago. Each of the two societies has about 100 members, 80 per cent of which are women. In the recent past, when the tea gardens were unsympathetic, these co-operative societies led the way from unemployment to income. Their socio-economic status also changes. The two societies are involved in various activities like brick making, candle making, groceries, vermicompost, tailoring etc. As a result, great socio-economic changes have also been seen among them.