Bill paves the way for housing ownership in tea estates; AIUDF protests and planters warn of legal, operational challenges

Guwahati, Nov 28: The Assam Assembly on Friday passed a landmark bill to grant land pattas to tea garden workers, despite strong objections from a section of opposition MLAs.

The legislation—The Assam Fixation of Ceiling of Land Holdings (Amendment) Act—clears the way for the state government to distribute land within tea estate labour lines, enabling workers to obtain housing ownership for the first time in the 200-year history of Assam’s tea industry.

The passage of the bill before next year’s Assembly polls in the state by April is very significant as tea garden workers decide the fate of about 35 constituencies in Assam of the total 126.

The session saw repeated disruptions as members of the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) stormed the well of the House, demanding similar land rights for residents of char (riverine) areas predominantly inhabited by Bengali-speaking Muslims. BJP legislators countered with slogans backing the government and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The bill specifies that pattas will be allotted to members of Tea Tribe and Adivasi communities as notified by the state. Assam has 825 tea estates, with approximately 2,18,553 bighas under labour colonies. Compensation for affected parties is tentatively fixed at Rs 3,000 per bigha—amounting to an estimated Rs 65.57 crore.

Terming the passage of the bill “historic,” Chief Minister Sarma said, “Land pattas will be given to three lakh families of the tea tribe community. At such an important moment, everyone can see the intentions behind these disruptions.”

He added that the pattas will come with safeguards: land cannot be sold for 20 years, and thereafter only to another worker. Sarma also announced plans to support house construction for the beneficiaries, noting that surveys are already underway and some allotments will be made immediately.

BJP MLA Rupesh Gowala described the bill as a transformative step for workers who have lived in company-owned quarters for generations without ownership rights.

AIUDF MLA Dr. Rafiqul Islam supported the bill but raised concerns over inadequate land availability, noting that while 3.5 lakh workers live in labour lines, only 2–2.5 lakh bighas may be available for distribution. “If distributed equally, each family won’t even get one bigha. The government should consider giving seven bighas to each family to ensure self-reliance,” he said, also seeking inclusion of Muslim residents living in labour lines.

Following heated protests and a poster display by AIUDF MLAs, the Speaker passed the bill through a voice vote, prompting the opposition party to stage a walkout.

Meanwhile, the Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA) has urged the government to reconsider the proposal.

In a letter to the Chief Secretary dated November 24, 2025, the planters’ apex body warned that granting pattas could disrupt plantation management and contravene existing laws. It argued that labour quarters are statutory facilities under the Plantation Labour Act, 1951, and not meant for conversion into transferable property.

The CCPA cautioned that transferring ownership might open the door to similar claims from other employee groups and complicate land-use patterns, especially where estates have mortgaged land for bank loans.

Also Read: ADB sanctions $77 million to boost Meghalaya’s ecotourism and sustainable farming

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