Tea Directorate restructures to enhance dev work for North Bengal tea garden workers

RAJDEEP MONDAL, MP, 2 Jan 2025, Jalpaiguri: The West Bengal Tea Directorate is being restructured to take direct control of development work for tea garden workers in North Bengal. Previously under the North Bengal Development Department (NBDD), the Directorate has been shifted to the Labour department and relocated to its own office in Dagapur, Siliguri, with plans to establish an engineering cell along with ensuring greater autonomy. 

Development projects like crèches and primary health centres were previously proposeds by the Directorate but constructed by the NBDD. This arrangement limited the Directorate’s ability to maintain and operate the projects due to inadequate staffing and the absence of an engineering unit. 

As a result, several completed health centers remain non-operational. In December, a meeting at the Directorate’s Dagapur office, chaired by Labour Minister Moloy Ghatak, decided to make the Directorate autonomous. A Deputy Director has been appointed and a small team of employees has joined to initiate the transition. 

Deputy Director Sanju Simik stated: “I have just joined the new office in Dagapur. The process of transferring resources from the NBDD has started and a proposal for an engineering cell is underway.” 

The Labour department has confirmed that the engineering cell will include executive, assistant and junior engineers, along with essential equipment, enabling the Directorate to independently manage construction and maintenance. 

Nakul Sonar, Chairman of the Trinamool Cha Bagan Sramik Union (TCBSU) Central Committee, expressed optimism about the restructuring. 

“The primary health centres built in tea gardens need to be operationalised soon. I hope the Directorate will collaborate with the Health department to address this promptly. Autonomy will allow the Directorate to manage construction and implementation seamlessly,” he stated. The restructuring is expected to strengthen developmental efforts for tea garden workers across the Terai, Dooars and hill regions. 

The state government has prioritised enhancing the Directorate’s infrastructure to streamline operations. Mahua Gope, a member of the Tea Directorate, emphasised the importance of these changes. 

“The state government is focused on improving the lives of tea garden workers. By building its own infrastructure, the Directorate will ensure efficient management and implementation of various projects,” she remarked. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/tea-directorate-restructures-to-enhance-dev-work-for-north-bengal-tea-garden-workers-593076