Assam to give tea garden workers land rights
Assam is rolling out a big move: tea garden workers will finally get legal rights to the land they live on.
Thanks to a new law, the state will take over labor line land from about 825 tea estates and begin a staged process intended to benefit nearly 3.5 lakh worker families.
Political implications and potential benefits for workers
This could change lives for about 10 lakh people, giving them security and a shot at better futures.
Workers pay just ₹500 per bigha but can't sell their plots for 20 years (and then only to other estate workers).
It's also a major political play: tea tribes and Adivasis make up one-fifth of Assam's population and influence many assembly seats.
With elections coming up, promises like house repair aid and new homes are on the table if the current government stays in power.