17 hrs ago
Bengal Government Sets Seven-Day Reopening Deadline for Shut Tea Gardens
The Bengal government is checking whether tea garden workers have received the money they are owed.
This includes bonuses, provident fund payments and insurance contributions.
The government says tea companies must pay these dues.
It has also asked closed tea gardens to submit plans for reopening within seven days.
About 35 gardens are facing problems, and 21 are officially closed.
New companies may be allowed to take over if they pay the old debts and present workable plans.
The government says nearly Rs 100 crore in provident fund dues has been recovered through its efforts.
It is also creating a team to watch for the illegal sale of tea leaves from closed gardens.
The Bengal government has given closed tea gardens seven days to submit viable reopening plans.
Workers’ outstanding bonus, provident fund, Employees’ State Insurance and other statutory dues must be settled.
The government says 19 companies have paid the announced 20 per cent bonus, while others have promised to do so.
Around 35 tea gardens in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and the Dooars face problems, including 21 officially recorded as closed.
A special task force will monitor alleged illegal tea-leaf sales from closed gardens.
- Who
- West Bengal Labour Minister Arjun Singh, tea garden managements and Labour Department officials.
- What
- The government reviewed workers’ unpaid dues and ordered closed tea gardens to submit reopening plans within seven days.
- Where
- Shramik Bhavan in Siliguri, covering tea gardens in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and the Dooars.
- When
- The review meeting was held on Friday; the reopening-plan deadline is seven days.
- Why
- To recover workers’ statutory dues, support the reopening of closed gardens and address alleged illegal tea-leaf sales.
Key facts
- Bonus announced
- A 20 per cent bonus for tea workers.
- Companies that paid
- Nineteen companies had already paid the bonus.
- Tea gardens affected
- Around 35 gardens face various problems.
- Officially closed
- Twenty-one gardens are officially recorded as closed.
- Provident fund recovery
- Nearly Rs 100 crore has been recovered through government interventions since previous review meetings.
- Darjeeling estate payment
- One estate deposited Rs 83.36 lakh toward outstanding provident fund dues of Rs 1.22 crore.
- Reopening deadline
- Closed tea gardens have seven days to submit reopening plans.
Sources
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