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Housing & Rural ShelterOfficial Info Verified
Chaa Sundari
Government of West Bengal housing programme executed by the Housing Department to provide free 394 sq. ft. pucca dwelling units to permanent tea-garden workers of closed/sick tea gardens in Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri, alongside the Chaa Sundari Extension Scheme providing ₹1.20 lakh financial assistance.
Department: Housing Department, Government of West Bengal
House Unit Area
394 Sq. Ft.
2 Rooms, Kitchen, Bath & Verandah
Phase I + II Built
4,022 Homes
1,171 (Ph-I) + 2,851 (Ph-II)
Extension Beneficiaries
28,500 Workers
2026–27 Budget Speech data
Extension Grant
₹1.20 Lakh
Disbursed in 3 instalments
Language:
Scheme Overview
What is Chaa Sundari?
Chaa Sundari Housing Scheme (চা সুন্দরী আবাসন প্রকল্প) is a dedicated social welfare initiative launched by the Government of West Bengal and executed by the Housing Department. The scheme addresses the acute housing needs of permanent tea-garden workers in closed or sick tea gardens across North Bengal (primarily Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts). Under the core scheme, the Government constructs durable 394 sq. ft. single-storied dwelling units featuring 2 rooms, a kitchen, a toilet, a verandah, and durable CGI sheet roofing directly on tea-garden lands. In Phase-I, 1,171 dwelling units across 6 sites in 4 tea gardens were completed in December 2022 (inaugurated January 2023). In Phase-II, 2,851 units across 11 sites in 6 tea gardens were completed between January and June 2025, with each Phase-II home provided with approximately 360 sq. ft. of adjacent land for cattle rearing (totaling 4,022 Phase-I + Phase-II units). In parallel, the Government implements the 'Chaa Sundari Extension Scheme', under which 28,500 tea garden workers have received ₹1.20 lakh financial assistance in 3 instalments (with ₹217.53 crore distributed and ₹42.20 crore required for FY 2026–27 as reported in the State Budget Speech).
Primary Purpose:To provide free, durable, single-storied pucca dwelling units (394 sq. ft.) on designated tea-garden land to permanent workers of closed and sick tea gardens who lack a pucca house of their own, ensuring dignified living conditions in North Bengal tea belts.
Key Scheme Objectives
- Construct free, disaster-resilient 394 sq. ft. pucca dwelling units for permanent workers of closed/sick tea gardens.
- Eliminate unsafe and dilapidated kutcha living quarters in North Bengal tea-plantation estates.
- Provide essential civic and offsite infrastructure including piped drinking water, electricity, and drainage.
- Support home construction/extension through ₹1.20 lakh DBT assistance under Chaa Sundari Extension.
Financial Framework
Core Scheme Architecture, Phased Delivery & Extension Outlay
Chaa Sundari comprises two clear delivery tracks: (1) Directly constructed pucca dwelling units by the Housing Department for closed/sick tea-garden workers, and (2) Chaa Sundari Extension financial assistance of ₹1.20 lakh for home construction on patta land.
Phase-I Completed Units
1,171 Units
Phase-II Completed Units
2,851 Units
Total Core Houses Constructed
4,022 Units
Extension Financial Support
₹1.20 Lakh / Worker
2026–27 Budget Speech & Housing Department Official Records
In the 2026–27 Budget Speech, the Government of West Bengal highlighted that under Chaa Sundari Extension, 28,500 tea garden workers have been assisted with ₹217.53 crore released so far, with ₹42.20 crore allocated for FY 2026–27. For the core Chaa Sundari Housing Scheme, Housing Department records confirm that 1,171 units (Phase-I) and 2,851 units (Phase-II) have been completed across Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts. In Phase-II, each dwelling unit is also allotted approximately 360 sq. ft. of adjacent land for cattle rearing.
How Chaa Sundari Compares with Other Housing & Welfare Programmes:
Core Chaa Sundari vs. Chaa Sundari Extension
Core Chaa Sundari delivers 100% government-constructed 394 sq. ft. dwelling units for closed/sick tea garden workers. Chaa Sundari Extension provides ₹1.20 lakh cash assistance in 3 instalments for beneficiaries to construct or extend houses on their own patta land.
Chaa Sundari vs. Banglar Bari (Gramin)
Chaa Sundari is exclusively focused on North Bengal tea-garden workers in tea estates. Banglar Bari (Gramin) is the statewide rural housing grant for general rural homeless families across all 23 districts.
Chaa Sundari vs. PMAY-G
Chaa Sundari is a 100% West Bengal state-funded initiative administered by the Housing Department. PMAY-G is a central-state rural housing scheme operating under separate SECC/Awas+ guidelines.
Important Dimensional & Dataset Distinction:
394 sq. ft. is the built-up dwelling-unit area; 360 sq. ft. is the separate adjacent land for Phase-II cattle rearing. 4,022 is the calculated core constructed housing total; 28,500 represents Extension financial grant beneficiaries.
State Budget Head & Departmental Accounting
Detailed Demands for Grants (Budget Publication No. 17) accounts for Chaa Sundari under Budget Head 2216-03-107 (Housing for Permanent Tea Garden Workers - State Development Schemes [HO]).
Eligibility Guidelines
Who is Eligible to Apply?
Review standard qualifying conditions, income limits, and applicable waiver categories. Read our guide on understanding eligibility
Standard Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a permanent worker of a closed or sick tea garden in West Bengal (Core Scheme)
- Must NOT possess a durable pucca house of their own anywhere in the tea-garden area
- For Extension: Must be a retiring/retired tea garden employee or long-time occupier with official homestead patta
- For Extension: Must possess valid land documents/patta and own no pucca house (or house under 25 sq. m)
Not Eligible:
- Families already owning a durable pucca house with a plinth area of 25 sq. metres or more.
- Families where any member is a permanent or retired regular-salaried Government employee.
- Families who have previously received financial assistance under any Government housing scheme.
Tea Garden Welfare
394 Sq. Ft. Pucca Dwelling Units on Tea Garden Lands
Permanent Workers of Closed & Sick Gardens
Each dwelling unit includes 2 rooms, 1 kitchen, 1 attached toilet, 1 verandah, and durable CGI sheet roofing, constructed directly by the West Bengal Housing Department.
Extension Scheme
₹1.20 Lakh Grant in 3 Instalments for Patta Holders
Under the Chaa Sundari Extension Scheme, 28,500 workers have been assisted with ₹1.20 lakh DBT grants to construct or extend homes on homestead patta land.
Required Documentation
Commonly Required Documents
Exact document requirements can depend on the application type and applicant circumstances. View our common documents checklist
Standard
Tea Garden Worker Identity Proof / Employment Record
Official worker ID or garden employment register proving permanent worker status in closed/sick garden.
Standard
Homestead Patta / Land Document (For Extension Scheme)
Official homestead patta issued by the District Administration on resumed tea-garden land.
Standard
Aadhaar Card / Voter ID of Applicant
Government-issued identity and residential proof.
Standard
Bank / Post Office Account Passbook Copy (For Extension DBT)
Single-holder savings account passbook with IFSC code for Direct Benefit Transfer of ₹1.20 lakh.
Guidance: Ensure the applicant’s bank account is active and matches the beneficiary name exactly before institutional submission.
Application Process
How to Apply for Chaa Sundari
Step-by-step application and verification procedure based on official guidelines. Read our official portals guide
1
Identification & Administrative Survey
For Core Scheme: District administration and Housing Department survey closed/sick tea gardens to identify eligible permanent workers without pucca homes.
2
Extension Scheme Application Submission
For Extension Scheme: Eligible patta holders submit applications at the local BDO office, survey team camps, or designated Duare Sarkar camps.
3
Field Enquiry & House-to-House Verification
Administrative teams conduct on-site physical verification to inspect land possession, current kutcha house status, and exclusion criteria.
4
Block & District Committee Sanction
Block Level Committee scrutinizes verified applicants and proposes names to the District Level Committee for final sanction.
5
House Handover / Extension DBT Instalments
Core houses are directly handed over upon completion; Extension beneficiaries receive ₹1.20 lakh across 3 construction-linked instalments.
Payment Method
For Core Chaa Sundari: 100% state-funded construction by the Housing Department. For Chaa Sundari Extension: ₹1.20 lakh financial assistance credited in 3 instalments directly into the beneficiary’s Bank or Post Office account via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
Phase-I Completion:December 2022 (Inaugurated 19 January 2023)
Important to Know
Core Chaa Sundari provides 100% government-constructed 394 sq. ft. pucca dwelling units on tea-garden lands.
Phase-I (1,171 homes) and Phase-II (2,851 homes) total 4,022 dwelling units constructed across Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri.
Phase-II dwelling units are additionally provided with approx. 360 sq. ft. adjacent land for cattle rearing.
Chaa Sundari Extension provides ₹1.20 lakh financial assistance in 3 instalments to homestead patta holders (28,500 assisted).
Offsite infrastructure (drinking water, electricity, roads) is coordinated with PHE, WBSEDCL, and Irrigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Chaa Sundari Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions and answers regarding eligibility, benefits, documents, and application process for Chaa Sundari.
Chaa Sundari is a Government of West Bengal housing scheme executed by the Housing Department to provide free pucca dwelling houses (394 sq. ft.) to eligible permanent tea-garden workers of closed and sick tea gardens who do not own a pucca house.
Sources Checked
All factual information on this page has been compiled and verified against official government portals, gazettes, and departmental guidelines.
Last Verified: 2026-08-18T00:00:00Z
Independent Platform Notice:
WBScheme is an independent information platform and is not the Government of West Bengal. Chaa Sundari eligibility, beneficiary identification, housing construction, Extension assistance, verification and implementation rules may vary by phase and Government notification. Always verify the latest information through the Government of West Bengal and the concerned Housing/District authorities.
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