Lok Sabha Question No. 2834 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-18
Subject: Registered Tea Gardens in West Bengal
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Shri Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2834 ANSWERED ON 18/03/2025

## REGISTERED TEA GARDENS IN WEST BENGAL

## 2834.  SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मं त्री ) be pleased to state:

(a) the  total  number  of  registered  tea  gardens  in  North  Bengal  districts  of  Darjeeling, Kalimpong,  Alipurduar,  Jalpaiguri,  Cooch  Behar,  and  North  Dinajpur,  district-wise  as  on January 2025;

(b) the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  specify  area  for  each  tea  garden  that  are  under cultivation and areas that have been allocated for workers housing, garden-wise;

(c) the  total  number  of  tea  gardens  that  are  operational,  temporarily  locked  down  for  two years or less and have been shut down for over two years, including the date of their shutting down;

(d) the total number of tea gardens declared sick/closed in these districts during the last five years;

(e) the details of relief measures provided by the Government to workers of closed/sick tea gardens;

(f) the details of funds allocated and disbursed for worker welfare in distressed tea gardens, garden-wise; and

(g) the details of action taken by the Government to restart the closed tea gardens during the last five years?

## ANSWER

वाणिज्य और उद्योग मंत्रालय में राज्य मंत्री (श्री णिणिन प्रसाद)

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

## (a) The number of tea gardens in North Bengal, district-wise, is as follows:

| Revenue District                |   No. of Estates |
|---------------------------------|------------------|
| Darjeeling                      |              138 |
| Kalimpong                       |                5 |
| Alipurduar                      |               62 |
| Jalpaiguri                      |              185 |
| Cooch Behar                     |               11 |
| North Dinajpur (Uttar Dinajpur) |               48 |
| Grand Total                     |              449 |

Source: Tea Board

(b) A baseline survey was conducted by the Tea Board during 2022, in which area under tea cultivation, garden-wise, was captured. However, the matter related to workers housing does not come under the purview of Tea board and is covered under Plantation Labour Act, 1951, which is implemented by the respective State Governments.

(c) The total  number of operational tea  gardens in  West Bengal is 435. The details of tea gardens that have been shut down for 2 years or less are given below:

|   Sl. No. | Name of the T.E.   | District   | Date of closure   |
|-----------|--------------------|------------|-------------------|
|         1 | Rungmook /Ceders   | Darjeeling | 24.04.2023        |
|         2 | Moondakotee        | Darjeeling | 24.09.2023        |
|         3 | Chongtong          | Darjeeling | 28.09.2023        |
|         4 | Nagri              | Darjeeling | 28.09.2023        |
|         5 | Ambootia           | Darjeeling | 10.10.2023        |
|         6 | Pandam             | Darjeeling | 22.08.2024        |
|         7 | Dalsingpara        | Alipurduar | 15.10.2023        |
|         8 | Ramjhora           | Alipurduar | 01.11.2023        |
|         9 | Dheklapara         | Alipurduar | 14.12.2023        |
|        10 | Sonali             | Jalpaiguri | 30.12.2023        |

Source: Tea Board

The details of tea gardens that have been shut down for over 2 years are given below:

|   Sl. No. | Name of the T.E.   | District   | Date of closure   |
|-----------|--------------------|------------|-------------------|
|         1 | Dooteriah          | Darjeeling | 09.06.2019        |
|         2 | Panighata          | Darjeeling | 10.10.2015        |
|         3 | Lankapara          | Alipurduar | 28.01.2016        |
|         4 | Raipur             | Jalpaiguri | 12.09.2016        |

Source: Tea Board

(d) There is no specific definition for sick tea gardens as per Tea Act, 1953.  A Garden is considered closed by the Tea Board on the basis of the report received from the concerned State Government. As per Tea Board, in West Bengal, 14 tea gardens were closed during the last 5 years, out of which 4 gardens have been re-opened and are operational currently.

(e) to (g) The working condition of tea garden workers in the country is governed by the Plantation Labour Act, which is implemented by the State Governments concerned. There is no definition of distressed  gardens. Providing relief measures to workers of closed tea gardens is under the purview of State Government.

While the workers issues are under the purview of concerned State Governments, the Central Government  through  Tea  Board  implements  the  scheme  'Tea  Development  &  Promotion Scheme' with the objective which inter alia include increasing productivity & quality of tea and welfare measures, under which there are provisions for providing book and uniform grants to the wards of workers of closed tea estates & gardens affected by natural calamities and assistance for disabled  and  critically  ill  dependents  of  workers  (kidney,  heart,  liver  diseases  and  cancer)  in closed tea gardens.