Assam has scripted history with a massive land rights push for its tea plantation laborers. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma revealed that over 3.5 lakh families now hold legal titles to the land they’ve called home for decades, ending a century-old saga of exploitation in the tea sector.
The announcement, made via a post on X, credits the freshly enacted Assam Fixation of Ceiling on Land Holdings (Amendment) Act, 2025. Tea workers, drawn from tribes across India, arrived in Assam nearly 200 years ago to build an industry that puts the state on the global map. Yet, they remained landless, residing in precarious labor lines owned by tea companies.
Under old regulations, plantations escaped land ceiling laws, denying workers any claim to their living spaces. Eviction loomed large with every estate closure or job loss. The amended law empowers the government to seize these lands and redistribute them as pattas to deserving families, transforming renters into rightful proprietors.
Covering 825+ tea estates, this initiative stands as India’s biggest recent land reform effort. It safeguards families from displacement and qualifies them for national housing programs, fostering stability and access to aid.
For Sarma, this is a testament to real action amid political noise. ‘Assam honors the tea tribes’ contributions with dignity and security,’ he stated. The reform promises enduring economic empowerment, weaving social justice into the fabric of the state’s progress while highlighting government focus on substantive change over mere posturing.