Siliguri: Announcing a series of development projects for North Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched Rs 500 crore project called "Chaa Sundari" to build pucca houses for all homeless workers in the 370 tea gardens of the state. The Chief Minister made the announcement while holding the review meeting of Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts at the North Bengals administrative headquarters Uttar Kanya. Before the announcement, without taking names, she slammed the Centre for depriving the tea workers of their rights despite giving repeated assurances ahead of the last Lok Sabha polls. "Tea garden workers are deprived of their rights. Nothing has been done despite assurances ahead of the elections," Banerjee said, adding that now each and every homeless tea garden worker will be getting pucca houses with the introduction of Chaa Sundari scheme for which the Bengal government has sanctioned Rs 500 crore. Around three lakh people work in the tea gardens. The project will be completed in the next three years and the Housing department will construct the houses in collaboration with the Land and Labour department. As per the Tea Plantation Act, garden owners are supposed to give them the benefits of ration, health and education facilities. Since they are deprived of the same in many cases, the Bengal government has been providing them with the benefits as they are citizens of the state. Banerjee further added that a list containing names of beneficiaries has been prepared and phase one of the project in which 3,694 houses will be built, will begin from seven sick tea gardens in Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar. As many as 2,641 and 1,053 houses will be built for tea garden workers in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri respectively. In Alipurduar, 730 houses will be built at Mujnai Tea Garden, 376 in Dheklapara, 351 in Torsa, 1184 in Lankapara and 562 at Red Bank Tea Garden. In Jalpaiguri, 285 and 206 houses will be built at Dharanipur and Manabri tea gardens respectively. Banerjee also announced jobs for 291 KLO activists and linkmen those who returned to the mainstream. As many as 130 among them received appointment letters on Tuesday while the remaining 161 will be getting the same on Wednesday. She also provided a financial grant of Rs 5 crore to Kamtapur Bhasha Academy. The Chief Minister also handed over an appointment letter for a government job to Rumpa Roy, wife of Subedar Bipul Roy who was martyred at Galwan Valley. The Chief Minister also initiated distribution of financial assistance to priests in North Bengal and started off with priest of the century-old Jalpesh Mandir, Bijoy Chakraborty. A list containing names of a total of 18,223 priests has been prepared who would get similar benefits. At the same time, 18,311 century-old temples were identified for renovation. She also announced a grant of Rs 5 crore for renovation of the century-old Buxaduar Fort, where later many including poet Subhas Mukhopadhyay were imprisoned, as it had taken place in Cellular Jail. It is a part of the tradition of Bhutan and Cooch Behar. She came down heavily on the BJP, without naming the party, and said they never take up any constructive development initiatives and try to reap benefits by triggering riots. State Sports minister Aroop Biswas, Labour minister Moloy Ghatak, Minister of State for Information and Cultural Affairs department Indranil Sen and senior officers, including Chief Secretary Rajiva Sinha, Home Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay were also present in the meeting.

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