Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his address at the inauguration of the Assam Bioethanol Plant and the foundation-laying ceremony for the Polypropylene Unit at Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) in Golaghat on Sunday afternoon, emphasized the government’s commitment to uplifting the lives of Assam’s tea garden workers.
Modi highlighted targeted welfare schemes aimed at improving housing, health, and education for tea garden communities, underscoring their priority in the government’s development agenda.
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Modi sharply criticized the previous opposition-led governments for neglecting tea garden workers, alleging they were left at the mercy of tea company managements.
“During the opposition’s tenure, tea garden workers were denied basic rights and facilities,” he said.
In contrast, he highlighted that the current government is actively addressing their needs through comprehensive welfare initiatives.
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He noted that crores of rupees are being invested to provide permanent housing, electricity, and water connections to tea garden families, ensuring they live with dignity.
The Prime Minister emphasized special measures for women and children in tea garden communities.
“We are focusing on the health of women and the education of children in these areas,” Modi stated, adding that schemes are being implemented to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates.
He highlighted that these efforts mark a significant shift from the past, when workers’ welfare was overlooked in favor of corporate interests.
Modi also connected the welfare of tea garden workers to Assam’s broader development narrative, stating that their upliftment is integral to the state’s progress.
“A new era of development has begun in Assam, and the well-being of tea garden workers is at its core,” he said.
The event, attended by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and Hardeep Singh Puri, also saw Modi inaugurate projects worth Rs 18,000 crore, reinforcing Assam’s role in India’s energy and industrial growth.