STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: From now on, tea workers with a monthly wage or salary exceeding Rs 15,000 will also be eligible for provident funds (PF). Earlier, only tea workers receiving less than Rs 15,000 in wage or salary per month were eligible for the provident fund. This norm will benefit a large number of tea workers in the state.
On the last day of its Autumn Session today, the Assam Legislative Assembly passed the Assam Tea Plantations Provident Fund and Pension Fund and Deposit Linked Insurance Find Scheme (Amendment) Bill, 2023. The passage of this bill paved the way for tea workers whose wages or salaries exceed Rs 15,000 to get PF benefits.
State Labour Welfare Minister Sanjay Kisan moved the bill for its passage in the State Assembly today. And the bill got its passage unopposed.
After the passage of the bill, Minister Sanjay Kisan said, “According to the earlier provisions of the Assam Legislative Assembly passed the Assam Tea Plantations Provident Fund and Pension Fund and Deposit Linked Insurance Find Scheme Act, 1995, tea workers whose salaries or wages were less than Rs 15,000 per month were eligible for PF. However, in the present context, the salaries or wages of most of the workers are more than Rs 15,000 per month. Therefore, many tea garden managements have stopped the deduction of provident fund from employees drawing salaries above Rs 15,000, causing unrest amongst such workers, and litigation has started over this. After considering all aspects, the State Government has decided to lift the Rs 15,000 per month cap for PF benefits. From now on, tea workers drawing any amount of salary or wages will get PF benefits. The tea estate management will have to adhere to this norm”.
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