West Bengal to pay money to jobless tea garden workers under FAWLOI scheme

Suman Chakraborti,TNN | Jul 16, 2014, KOLKATA: The Mamata Banerjee government has decided to pay money under the FAWLOI (Financial Assistance to the Workers in Locked Out Industrial Units) scheme to the jobless workers of the North Bengal tea gardens. The chief minister is leaving for a three day North Bengal tour today.

According to officials of the state secretariat, the payment will become effective to the workers from three months from the time of the closure of the particular tea gardens. Earlier, workers of the closed industrial units used to get money under the scheme after one year from the date of the unit's closure.

Four cabinet ministers, North Bengal development minister Gautam Deb, labour minister Moloy Ghatak, food and supplies minister Jyotipriya Mullick and minister of state for health, Chandrima Bhattacharya held a meeting at the North Bengal secretariat 'Uttarkanya' where the decision was taken. Senior officials of the four departments along with the DMs of the two districts of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar were present at the meeting.

A coordination committee comprising officials of the four departments along with the two DMs in the tea belt and others has been constituted to monitor and keep watch of the closed and sick tea gardens. The committee will make regular review the condition of the tea gardens and will report to the government.