Alipurduar, Sept. 24 -- Relief is finally in sight for around 4,400 workers of three closed tea gardens in Alipurduar ahead of the Puja festivities, with the state government initiating the process to provide Financial Assistance for Workers of Lockout Industries (FAWLOI) to them.
The Labour Department began distributing FAWLOI application forms among workers of Kalchini, Raimatang and Bandapani tea gardens from Wednesday, a day after the state government issued an official notification approving the assistance.
According to Labour Department sources, Bandapani Tea Garden in Madarihat block was closed on March 11 last year and has 1,140 workers. Kalchini and Raimatang tea gardens in Kalchini block were closed on December 24 last year. Raimatang has 1,257 workers, while Kalchini has 2,003 workers.
An official of the Birpara Circle of the Labour Department said, "Following the notification issued on Tuesday, FAWLOI forms were distributed from Wednesday among the 4,400 workers of the three gardens. The applications submitted by the workers are being forwarded to the state-level FAWLOI screening committee."
Workers of closed tea gardens receive FAWLOI assistance of Rs 1,500 per month.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.