Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has directed chief secretary Manoj Pant to investigate the reasons behind the tea board’s decision to halt plucking on 30 November last year. During an administrative review meeting in Alipurduar, she expressed concern over a 7-8 per cent decline in tea production attributed to the tea board’s actions, urging a thorough inquiry into the matter.
The chief minister also raised concerns about the impact of tea imports from Nepal on the reputation of Darjeeling tea. She proposed the establishment of state-run laboratories along the Indo-Nepal border to monitor the quality of imported tea.
Labour minister Moloy Ghatak reported that five tea gardens have reopened, and three more are scheduled to resume operations next week. Alipurduar district magistrate R Vimala informed that 14,000 land deeds have been distributed to tea workers, with Rs 1.2 lakh allocated per worker for building houses under the Cha Sundari scheme, benefiting 3,000 families so far.
The chief minister reviewed the progress of industrial hubs in Jaigaon and Ethelbari and expressed dissatisfaction with the slow pace of development. Highlighting issues with approach roads to the hubs, she instructed officials to prioritise land acquisition where roads are already in good condition. “Don’t take land for this project where there are no roads. Take land where the roads are in good condition. Is MSME even working? Work seriously on your responsibilities,” she remarked sternly.
Miss Banerjee stressed the importance of addressing public grievances promptly. She directed the chief secretary to improve the performance of Bangla Sahayata Kendras (BSKs) by placing them under CCTV surveillance to ensure accountability among staff. Warning against corruption, she stated, “Strict action will be taken against anyone demanding bribes from beneficiaries for their rightful claims.”
The chief minister flagged alleged negligence in processing applications under the student credit card scheme, noting that only 725 out of 3,000 applicants had availed benefits. She urged better coordination among officials to address such lapses.
The review meeting reflected the chief minister’s focus on streamlining administration, improving infrastructure, and safeguarding the tea industry’s legacy.