Cha Sundari boost: 8 more tea gardens to receive land titles

Alipurduar: The process of granting land rights documents (patta) to tea garden workers in the Alipurduar district is set to resume at the start of the new year, with survey work already underway in eight new tea gardens. The district administration has assured that the survey process will be expedited, enabling thousands of workers to receive their pattas promptly. Under the ‘Cha Sundari’ Extension Scheme, beneficiaries will also receive Rs 1.2 lakh to construct houses.

Efforts are being made to ensure all pattas are distributed by 2025. However, the timeline heavily depends on tea garden owners providing the necessary No Objection

Certificates (NOCs). Officials from the Land and Land Reforms department have stated that the completion of surveys hinges on the timely submission of NOCs.

Central Committee Chairman of the Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union (TCBSU), Nakul Sonar, expressed optimism about the scheme’s progress, saying: “We are hopeful that a significant number of tea garden workers will receive land titles next year. The union has already written to every tea garden owners’ organisation, urging them to provide NOCs without delay. Unfortunately, many owners have

yet to comply.”

Echoing the significance of the initiative, Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik remarked: “For nearly 150 years, tea garden workers were deprived of land rights. This is the first time any government has undertaken such a measure, granting land titles and direct financial assistance for housing to plantation workers.”

According to the Alipurduar district administration, 14,000 workers in the district have already received land titles and housing assistance under the scheme this year. Many have successfully built new homes, signaling a transformative change in their living conditions. The government’s initiative is particularly active in the Majherdabri Tea Garden, where implementation

is in full swing.

To highlight the scheme’s impact, the district administration has also released a video documentary showcasing its popularity and success.