Guwahati, Dec 1 (LatestNewsX) – Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma re‑affirmed his administration’s pledge to lift the state’s tea‑garden community on Monday, saying the people’s trust is the “guiding force” behind the welfare work underway.
In a post on X, he stated, “People’s trust and expectations guide every step of ours. Our government remains committed to empowering our tea garden community in every sphere. The granting of land rights in line areas of TEs is another milestone in this shared journey of ensuring security and self‑respect.”
Sarma’s comments arrive as Assam rolls out a range of landmark initiatives for the tea‑tribe population that underpins the region’s renowned tea industry. Granting land titles to workers in estate labour‑line zones is a historic move that shifts them from tenants without legal ownership to holders of secure tenure. Previously, the absence of titles left these families exposed to displacement and barred them from land‑based welfare programmes.
The new amendment, allowing pattas in these sectors, is expected to touch lakhs of households, opening doors to housing, credit and broader social empowerment. It dovetails with the state’s wider strategy to integrate tea‑garden workers into the mainstream development agenda. Over the last year, the government has rolled out targeted actions for the community, including a ₹342‑crore “Eti Koli, Duti Paat” package that will provide financial aid to around seven lakh workers and employees.
Educational gains are underway as well, with 100 new high schools slated for tea‑garden areas on top of the 120 already established in recent years—aimed at closing the long‑standing infrastructure gap that has kept literacy rates low. Healthcare has seen fresh investment too, from ambulance services deployed to the estates to renewed initiatives on maternal care, malnutrition and disease prevention. Expanded skill‑development programmes, housing subsidies, and employment‑linked training add further layers of support.
For a community that has historically faced socio‑economic marginalisation, these measures signal a move toward dignity, opportunity and stability. As Sarma highlighted, securing land rights is more than bureaucratic adjustment; it restores self‑respect for Assam’s tea‑garden workers—an integral part of the state’s identity and economy.
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