Celebration after orders of reopening five tea gardens

Siliguri, May 12 (UNI) North Bengal is expected to witness a boost in tea production with the orders of reopening of five closed tea gardens.

Union minister of state for Commerce Jairam Ramesh today ordered the reopening of the gardens without any condition. '' There will be no deduction from the worker's due payment,'' he said.

The tea garden workers appreciated the Centre's initiative to end their problem.

The Centre had yesterday declared a special fund to revive the closed tea gardens of North Bengal.

INTUC president Alok Chakraborty here today said, the initiatives by the union minister were "truly appreciable".

Mr Chakraborty said the Centre would look after the utilisation of the money given to the tea garden owners to revive the garden.

The INTUC demanded the payment of the dues of Provident Fund and gratuity.

The minister himself along with the state labour secretariat would be present at reopening program of Surendranagar Tea Estate of Duars on May 17, informed INTUC officials.

UNI