Over 7,000 workers and their families living in 13 closed tea estates in north Bengal are grappling with financial crisis as they have not received monthly aid from the state government for four months.

In the tea industry, a permanent worker of a closed tea garden is entitled to receive Rs 1,500 a month from the state government under the FAWLOI (Financial Assistance to Workers of Locked Out Industries). This means, till date the state owes each worker Rs 6,000.

Sources in the state labour department, which disburses the money, admitted the state is in the middle of an austerity drive and payment got delayed over a fund hurdle.
“We get food grains from ration shops (under the public distribution system) free of cost. Added to that, this financial aid helps us manage two square meals. However, we have not received any aid since October last year,” said a worker of the closed Dheklapara tea estate in Alipurduar.

Another worker added: “The money means a lot to us. During winter, things become harder for us as tea production comes to a halt. We can neither sell tea leaves nor work as a casual worker in any of the other tea estates.”

Aggrieved workers are questioning trade union leaders of Trinamul, who are striving hard to consolidate their base in the tea belt ahead of next year’s rural polls.
The delay has made BJP leaders hurl questions at the Trinamul government. Manoj Tigga, the BJP MLA of Madarihat Assembly seat (in Alipurduar), said this indicates the financial plight of the Mamata Banerjee government.

“The state government is spending funds on non-essentials and does not have money to pay hundreds of jobless tea workers who live on this assistance. The state should also take initiatives to reopen the closed tea estates or create alternative earning options for these people,” said Tigga.

In the Assembly elections of 2021, most people in the tea belt had voted for BJP candidates.

Senior officials of the state labour department in north Bengal, when contacted, said workers will receive the due assistance of the last quarter (October to December, 2021) by next week. “Also, funds for the next quarter (January to March, 2022) have been arranged but they will receive it in March,” said Md. Rizwan, the additional labour commissioner in Siliguri.