DIWALI RELIEF FOR NORTH BENGAL’S TEA WORKERS: SUVENDU GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES ₹5,000 DIRECT CASH ASSISTANCE
November 3, 2026
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday announced a one-time financial assistance of ₹5,000 each for 19,524 tea garden workers ahead of Diwali and Kali Puja, with the total expenditure estimated at ₹9.76 crore. The amount will be transferred directly into the beneficiaries’ bank accounts before the festivals, the Chief Minister said during an administrative review meeting at Uttarkanya.
Adhikari acknowledged the financial constraints facing the state government, stating that although he had initially considered providing a larger amount, the government had decided to distribute ₹5,000 to each eligible worker. Alongside the financial assistance, the government is examining a proposal to increase the monthly rice allocation for tea garden workers from the existing 35 kg to 50 kg. If approved, the enhanced allocation is expected to come into effect from January and will cover workers employed in both operational and closed tea gardens.
The Chief Minister also reiterated his government's plans to revive North Bengal's struggling tea industry, announcing efforts to reopen 21 tea gardens that had shut down during the previous government. He directed Labour Minister Arjun Singh to accelerate the reopening process and urged workers to keep their job cards ready for employment opportunities under the proposed initiatives. The government also intends to bring tea garden workers under the Pradhan Mantri Chaa Shramik Yojana and facilitate employment through the VBRAM-G scheme, which provides 125 days of work at ₹300 per day.
Highlighting the improvement in festival bonus payments, Adhikari claimed that while tea garden workers received a 16 per cent bonus last year, at least 95 per cent of operational tea gardens had already paid a 20 per cent bonus this year. He further announced that eligible beneficiaries under the Annapurna scheme would receive ₹3,000 per month, while elderly people meeting the eligibility requirements would be provided a monthly pension of ₹1,500.
The announcements come amid continuing concerns over employment insecurity, closed tea estates and the economic difficulties confronting plantation workers in North Bengal. The proposed reopening of tea gardens and expansion of welfare assistance will now be closely watched by thousands of workers whose livelihoods remain closely connected to the region's tea industry.
