Bengal starts tea workers’ welfare rollout

Kolkata/Darjeeling: The Bengal govt has started implementing the Rs 1,000 crore central development package for tea garden workers in the Hills, CM Suvendu Adhikari said on Friday. Around Rs 300 crore will be released this fiscal under the PM Cha Sramik Kalyan Yojana."The previous govt did not set up the required state-level committee, which prevented the use of the Rs 300 crore allocated for Bengal," Adhikari said at a review meet in Nabanna. Tea Board of India deputy chairman C Murugan will visit Darjeeling on June 2 to initiate the fund release.Further, the state govt has appointed sub-divisional officers (SDOs) as administrators of civic bodies in Kalimpong, Kurseong and Mirik after elected representatives in these bodies resigned.The CM, during his review on Friday, said Rs 180 crore had been allocated for the Hills in 2025-26, but the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) had executed no work. He added that the GTA had failed to submit proposals for the Rs 170 crore allocated for 2026-27.GTA principal secretary Shama Parveen was directed to coordinate with local MPs and MLAs to expedite these projects.CBI to probe teaching jobs ‘scam'CBI will take up the teachers' recruitment scam probe after the state govt decided to withdraw its challenge before the SC following a Calcutta HC order directing a probe. "We will withdraw from the case. Once that happens, the HC's order directing a CBI investigation will come into effect," CM Suvendu Adhikari said.