The West Bengal government has constituted a state-level committee to implement the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Protsahan Yojana, a move that unlocks Rs 314 crore earmarked for the welfare of tea garden workers in the state. The central scheme, with a total outlay of Rs 1,000 crore, targets nearly 10 lakh workers across 1,210 tea gardens in Assam and Bengal. It aims to provide better healthcare, education, and resting facilities for workers and their families.
Delay in Implementation
Officials revealed that the scheme had remained stalled in Bengal for nearly two years because the mandatory state-level committee had not been formed earlier. "The committee was a prerequisite for implementation of the scheme. The previous government had not completed the process," a Tea Board official stated. The delay meant that no funds were disbursed from the Rs 314 crore allocated for Bengal during the first two years of the three-year scheme period.
Urgent Need for Utilisation
Amit Kumar, Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce, highlighted the urgency at an event in Kolkata: "Two years have passed without any disbursement from the Rs 314 crore allocated for Bengal. The scheme corpus was meant for three years and only one year now remains for full utilisation of the funds." With the committee now formed, the state government is expected to expedite the implementation to ensure the allocated funds benefit the workers before the scheme period ends.
Tea Export Performance
In a related development, Tea Board Deputy Chairman C Murugan announced that India exported 282.1 million kg of tea in 2025-26, marking a 7% increase over the previous year. The Middle East emerged as a key market, accounting for nearly 115 million kg of shipments. This positive export trend underscores the importance of the tea sector, which employs millions in Assam and Bengal.
