Assam Hikes Daily Wages Of Tea Garden Workers

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday held a meeting with representatives of Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha and other tea bodies and discussed issues pertaining to wage fixation. In the meeting, it was decided to hike the daily wage of tea workers by Rs 38. With this hike, the tea workers in Brahmaputra Valley would get Rs 205 from the existing Rs 167 and tea workers of Barak Valley would get Rs 183 from the existing Rs 145.

In a major development, the BJP-led government in Assam today withdrew a notification issued last February ahead of the Assam polls by the previous Sarbananda Sonowal government which increased the daily wages of tea garden labourers by Rs 50. The government had announced the setting up of a new committee for fixing minimum wages, today the government decided to increase the daily wage of tea workers by Rs 38.

The tea workers will get the increased wage with effect from 23 February of the current year.

The government had earlier hiked the wage to Rs 217 but the tea companies went to court and the court had issued a stay order.

"The government after threadbare discussion with the tea bodies following the demands of the tea workers decided to hike the daily wage to Rs 205 and Rs 183. True to the government's commitment and for the welfare of the tea garden workers the government would raise the remaining Rs 12 after initiating consultation with stakeholders and exuded confidence that an acceptable solution will be found out very soon," Mr Sarma said.

Tea garden workers' wage was a major poll issue in Assam, the main opposition party Congress had promised a hike of wage to Rs 365 a day for the tea garden workers if voted to power.