Tea worker’s return with digital land patta sparks celebration in Dibrugarh

Dibrugarh, March 15: In a moment that many in the plantation community described as historic, scenes of joy and celebration unfolded at the Dinjoy tea estate when Kutharti Bhumij returned home with the land deed (digital patta) he had received from Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a ceremonial distribution programme held in Guwahati on Friday.

As Bhumij entered the estate, a wave of excitement swept through the workers’ quarters. Family members, relatives and fellow labourers gathered to welcome him, their faces lit with pride and happiness.

Beaming with a broad smile and holding the document close to his chest, Bhumij appeared overwhelmed by the moment.

Within minutes, the quiet garden lanes transformed into a festive ground as workers broke into the traditional Jhumur dance to celebrate the occasion. Even the steady drizzle could not dampen their spirits.

For the plantation community, the event carried significance far beyond a single document.

Nearly two centuries have passed since the tea industry took root in Assam, built on the labour and resilience of generations of workers who cleared forests, planted saplings and nurtured the industry that would go on to give the state global recognition.

Yet, despite their central role in shaping the industry and contributing to the State’s economy, most tea garden workers had long remained without legal ownership of the land on which they lived.

The recent decision of the Assam government to grant land rights to tea garden workers has therefore been widely welcomed among the plantation communities, even as sections of estate management have reportedly expressed reservations over the move.

Bhumij, a resident of the estate’s Pucca Line and the sole breadwinner of his family, was among the beneficiaries who received the land deed from the Prime Minister during the ceremonial inauguration of the land allotment initiative.

Along with nearly forty other workers from the estate, including several women, he had travelled to Guwahati to attend the programme.

For many of them, the journey itself was an extraordinary experience. Several workers, including Bhumij, said they had never visited the state capital before in their lives, making the trip both their first and a memorable one.

The group returned to Dinjoy this morning to a rousing reception from fellow residents. As drums beat and songs filled the air, Bhumij stood quietly for a moment, absorbing the celebration around him before speaking about the experience.

“I cannot express the magnitude of my joy,” he said, his voice carrying both pride and humility. “Receiving the land deed from the country’s Prime Minister is something I never imagined in my life. It is a moment I will never forget.”