• Ranjit Saibya

West Bengal is a second largest tea producing state after Assam, where about 450 tea garden are there. The Dooars tea belt of West Bengal, comprising 154 estates and contributing over 200 million kilograms of tea annually, remains a paradox of economic significance and chronic labour distress. Despite its pivotal role in India’s tea production, the region grapples with persistently low wages (₹176–₹232/day), substandard living conditions, and systemic non-compliance with statutory welfare provisions under the Plantation Labour Act. This study critically examines the prevailing Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) practices within these estates, highlighting acute deficiencies in labour welfare mechanisms, skill development initiatives, and industrial relations frameworks. Empirical evidence reveals alarming gaps: formal training programs are present in only 5–50% of estates, absenteeism among male workers exceeds 50% in certain areas, and essential amenities like sanitary latrines and safe drinking water remain accessible to less than one-third of the workforce. However, pilot interventions through NGO partnerships have demonstrated scalable potential in enhancing worker livelihoods and organisational stability. Against this backdrop, the paper proposes a comprehensive SHRM roadmap encompassing three strategic pillars: (i) professionalising HR infrastructure through certified personnel and technology-enabled statutory compliance; (ii) implementing worker-centric initiatives addressing grievance redressal, gender equity, and social welfare; and (iii) fostering strategic partnerships to integrate ethical supply chains and reposition Dooars tea within premium markets. The study positions SHRM not merely as a functional necessity but as a transformative strategy integral to aligning workforce well-being with sustainable business practices and regional socio-economic development.

Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM), Dooars Tea Industry, Labour Welfare, Industrial Relations, Plantation Labour Act, Workforce Productivity, Livelihood, ESG Comp.

"Strategic Human Resource Management in the Tea Industry of the Dooars Region: Challenges, Practices, and Future Directions", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 11, page no.369-375, November-2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1912291.pdf

"Strategic Human Resource Management in the Tea Industry of the Dooars Region: Challenges, Practices, and Future Directions", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 11, page no. pp369-375, November-2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1912291.pdf