Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday launched a one-time financial assistance scheme under which over six lakh tea garden workers received Rs 5,000 each, with the state government disbursing more than Rs 300 crore across 836 tea estates in 27 districts, ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
The assistance was distributed under the ‘Eti Koli Duti Paat’ scheme, aimed at recognising the contribution of tea garden workers and strengthening welfare outreach to tea tribes and Adivasi communities, which hold electoral influence across Upper Assam, North Assam and parts of the Barak Valley.
Addressing a public programme in Doomdoma, Sarma said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged him to prioritise the development of underprivileged sections, particularly tea tribes, after he assumed office. “We have been focusing on development of the community and have achieved notable progress in these five years,” he said.
The chief minister said the scheme acknowledged the labour behind Assam’s globally recognised tea industry, adding that the government was working to ensure the workers’ efforts received due recognition.
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Sarma also urged the gathering to support the BJP to “continue enjoying benefits of various schemes”, underlining the party’s expanding engagement with a community traditionally viewed as a Congress support base. Tea tribes have played a role in the BJP’s electoral successes in the state since 2014.
Detailing welfare measures, Sarma said the government introduced three per cent reservation for eligible tea tribe youth in Grade-III and Grade-IV state government posts last year, with appointment letters already issued to the first batch of selected candidates. The reservation will be extended to Grade-I and Grade-II posts, he said.
He said the government had amended an existing law to provide ownership rights over ‘labour line’ land in tea estates, with application forms to be distributed from February. The state has opened 120 high schools in tea gardens, with another 100 schools to be inaugurated soon.
The chief minister said 27 MBBS seats in Assam’s medical colleges were reserved for tea tribe students, a number set to rise to 40 from this year, alongside scholarships and improved healthcare infrastructure, including mobile medical units focused on maternal health.
Later, posting on X, Sarma wrote: “Whatever Assam does, it does at scale! Today, over 6 lakh tea garden workers received Rs 5,000 each as a mark of gratitude for their hard work, which has made tea synonymous with Assam.” He said the scheme coincided with 200 years of Assam Tea.
The Chief Minister’s Office said the assistance covered 73 Assembly constituencies, reinforcing the government’s focus on welfare delivery at scale.
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