Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Announces 'Chaa Sundari Scheme' 2022. What Is It?

Chaa Sundari Scheme: The 'Chaa Sundari Scheme' was announced in 2020 by then Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra while tabling the Budget in the Assembly.

Tea workers in north Bengal (Getty Images)

New Delhi: During her visit to North Bengal, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Tuesday that labourers working in tea gardens would be provided homes under the government's 'Chaa Sundari Scheme'.

'Chaa Sundari Scheme' has been launched in the state, under which 3,80,000 families will be provided homes. Tea labourers used to get Rs 67 as daily wage before TMC came to power, now they are paid Rs 202 daily wage," ANI quoted Mamata Banerjee as saying in Darjeeling.

What Is Chaa Sundari Scheme?

The 'Chaa Sundari Scheme' was announced in 2020 by then Bengal finance minister Amit Mitra while tabling the Budget in the Assembly. Rs 500 crore was allocated for the project.

The aim of the scheme is to give free houses along with land rights to tea workers in north Bengal. Land rights have been a longstanding demand of the tea garden labourers as the quarters where they live are located on leasehold land.

Houses have already been constructed in areas like Alipurduar, reports said. The keys were handed over to the beneficiaries earlier this year. 

More houses are coming up in Torsha, Mujnai, Rahimpur, Lankapara and Dheklapara, reports said.

Each house has two rooms, a kitchen and a toilet. The construction has been carried out on government land near the tea estates.

The housing department was assigned the task of building the houses. The list of beneficiaries was prepared by the labour department. Mamata Banerjee had earlier said the project would be completed in three years.