TINSUKIA: The Assam Tea Employees Provident Fund Organization (ATEPFO) Tinsukia zonal office organized an awareness-cum-interaction programme on the Assam Gratuity Act 1992 for the tea planters and managers of tea gardens at Convention Centre Tinsukia on Monday.
The programme, chaired by Sanjoy Kishan, Minister for Labour and Tea Tribes Welfare Department, was attended by garden managers or their representatives of 122 tea gardens in Tinsukia district, besides officials from ABITA, TIA, BCP, and ATEPFO Board members. Initiating the discussion, Anjan Das, Secretary-cum-PF Commissioner, said that the Assam Gratuity Act is implemented to solve monetary disparities faced by both the employees and employers of tea estates in Assam. Das further stated that the non-exempted tea gardens have to deposit gratuity contributions towards the Gratuity Fund and past liabilities. Mridul Hussain, Assistant PF Commissioner, Tinsukia Zonal Office, made an elaborative presentation of the Gratuity Scheme, detailing all the parameters that included objectives and reasoning for the enactment of the Assam Gratuity Act 1992, salient features of the Act, criteria for exempted and non-exempted gardens, duties of employers, recovery of arrears, and penalties. Sudhir Lohia, a board member, also facilitated the discussion. Among those who represented the organisations were Ranjan Paul, Tea Association of India; Doli Prava Kalita; Bharatiya Cha Parishad; and Sidharta Ghosh of ABITA. The resource person interacted with the participants and responded to their queries.
Also Watch: