Bank counter

TT, Siliguri, Nov. 25: A Siliguri-based tea group today extended the facility of wage payment through bank accounts among 600-odd workers in one of its gardens near Bagdogra.

The Terai Group of Companies, which owns around eight tea estates and a number of bought-leaf factories, started the facility in association with the Bank of India that opened an extension counter at the garden.

"We took up the task of opening bank accounts for each worker of Kiranchandra Tea Estate and approached the bank. The bank assented to our proposal of opening an extension counter. We have provided space to them and from today, the counter started functioning," Sitaram Sharma, the director of New Darjeeling Union Tea Co. Limited, a subsidiary of the Terai Group that owns the tea estate, said.

Shambhu Ghosh, the chief executive officer of the Terai Group, said: "We intend to open such counters in all other gardens of our group." On Monday, the bank will open another counter at Raja Tea Estate in the Dooars, he added.

The company has transferred a fortnight's wage to the workers' accounts. "A number of workers withdrew cash from their bank accounts today," Ghosh said.