Didi offers tea balm..ensure all social welfare schemes reach tea gardens in the Dooars.

TT, Jalpaiguri: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday instructed administrative officials of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts to ensure that all social welfare schemes reach tea gardens in the Dooars.

Mamata, who attended an administrative review meeting of both districts held at Tiabon in Jalpaiguri, also asked the officials to see that the managements of all tea gardens pay tea wages at the revised rate of Rs 169 per day.

At the meeting, Silpa Gourisaria and Nikhil Nirmal, the district magistrates of Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar, apprised the chief minister of the steps taken for tea garden residents.

They also spoke on "Janatar Darbar" and "Sanyog," initiatives under which the administration of the two districts are helping the residents of sick and closed tea gardens to obtain caste and tribe certificates and get enrolled under welfare schemes.

"Our government has increased tea wages by almost Rs 100. Implementation of social welfare schemes should continue across the tea belt and simultaneously, the ad- ministration should ensure that each garden pays wages at the revised rate of Rs 167 per day," Mamata said after the meeting.

Earlier, while speaking at a public meeting at the same venue, Mamata took a dig at the BJP on tea gardens.

"Ahead of the Assembly elections (of 2016), the central government had promised to facilitate the reopening of the closed tea gardens of Duncans. People voted them but the gardens did not open. Their promises have turned out to be hollow and they should not get votes again," the chief minister said.

"Look at us, we are providing food grains in tea gardens and also developing infrastructure for better education, health care and drinking water," she added.

Sources said Mamata was trying to ensure that garden workers, mostly of Gorkhas and tribals, remains with Trinamul at a time the BJP has made inroads in the tea belt.

At the administrative meeting, Mamata also asked the officials to expedite the distribution of land rights to residents of Alipurduar and Jaigaon. In both these places, most people do not have land rights.