The Assam government has decided to increase the daily wage of tea garden workers by Rs 27, a press communication said on August 10.
In a meeting with tea associations, tea garden management and worker’s union in Guwahati, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that the state government will hike the daily wage of tea workers to Rs 232 in Brahmaputra Valley and Rs 210 in Barak Valley.
The increase in wage will be over and above ration and other benefits, the meeting decided.
The meeting also assured to raise the government subsidy for orthodox tea from Rs 7 to Rs 10 per kg.
On 28 May, 2021 after a meeting with Assam Tea Mazdoor Sangha and other workers’ union, the government decided to hike wage of the tea workers by Rs 38 with retrospective effect from February 23. As a result, daily wage of the tea workers became Rs 205 from Rs 167 in the Brahmaputra Valley and Rs 183 from Rs 145 for the Barak Valley.
Happy to share that in a meeting with tea associations, it was decided to hike the workers' wage by ₹27, thus raising their daily wage to ₹232 & ₹210 in Brahmaputra Valley & Barak Valley respectively. Also assured to raise Govt subsidy for orthodox tea from ₹7 to ₹10 per kg. pic.twitter.com/sCiy2eVE1C
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) August 10, 2022
Moreover, under National Food Security Act, chief minister Sarma asked the concerned department to issue registration of more fair price shops in the tea garden areas to make the system of giving food grains to the tea workers and their family at subsidized rates stronger. He also said that those beneficiaries who have not received cards under NFSA, should be brought under the scheme at an early date.
Finance, social welfare minister Ajanta Neog, minister welfare of tea tribes Sanjay Kisan, industries and commerce minister Bimal Bora, president Assam Tea Mazdoor Sangha Pawan Singh Ghatowar, MLA Rupesh Gowala and several senior officers of government were present at the meeting.