Thu Jan 01 20:32:00 UTC 2026: Okay, here’s a summary and a news article based on the provided text:

Summary:

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has threatened to withdraw ₹150 crore in annual incentives from tea estate owners who resist the government’s plan to grant land rights to tea garden workers. The Assam government passed legislation in November 2025 to give ownership of the land they occupy in “labour lines” to 3.33 lakh tea worker families. The government says this will provide “land protection” after 200 years of residency for these workers, primarily descendants of Adivasis brought to Assam by British planters in the 1800s. Tea planters are unhappy, arguing that previous land acquisitions by the government have already left them with minimal land and that the proposed plan undermines the viability of the tea sector. They also cite existing labor laws that designate worker housing as part of statutory facilities, not transferable land.

News Article:

Assam CM Threatens Tea Estates Over Worker Land Rights

Guwahati, January 2, 2026 – Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has issued a stern warning to tea estate owners, threatening to revoke approximately ₹150 crore in annual incentives if they oppose the state government’s initiative to grant land rights to tea garden workers.

Speaking to the press on Thursday, January 1, 2026, Sarma reiterated his commitment to empowering the approximately 3.33 lakh tea worker families residing on tea estates. The state government introduced legislation in November 2025 amending the Assam Fixation of Ceiling on Land Holdings Act, aiming to transfer ownership of land in “labour lines,” the residential areas within the estates, to the workers.

“The tea workers have the right to land after 200 years of living in Assam,” the Chief Minister stated, emphasizing the historical injustice faced by these communities, largely composed of descendants of Adivasis brought to Assam during the British colonial era.

The Chief Minister expressed displeasure about the planters’ response: “The response of the tea garden owners [to land distribution] is not very positive. We shall withdraw the incentives to the planters, who do not cooperate with the government in this regard.”

However, tea planters are resisting the move, arguing that the government has already acquired significant portions of their land. The Consultative Committee of Planters’ Associations (CCPA) argues that further acquisition jeopardizes the long-term viability of the tea sector. The CCPA also argues that existing labor regulations designate worker housing as part of the plantation’s mandated facilities, not private property suitable for transfer.
The CCPA also said that labour quarters and line areas are part of the statutory facilities mandated under the Plantation Labour Act, 1951, and cannot be converted into transferable land ownership.

The issue is politically sensitive. The “tea tribes,” who are among six communities seeking Scheduled Tribe status, represent a significant voting bloc in Assam, having shifted their allegiance from the Congress party to the Bharatiya Janata Party in recent years. The outcome of this dispute could significantly impact the state’s political landscape.

Read More