APCC slams BJP for failing to provide promised wages of tea workers

TEA WORKERS' WAGE HIKE

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has stated that the Assam government's announcement to increase the daily wage of tea workers to Rs 205 is way below the electoral promise of the wage increase to Rs 351 by the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) in 2016.

"Every Tea Worker lost Rs 2,70,000 by a single order of BJP government," said the APCC.

Slamming the BJP, the APCC stated that the increment is also less than the Sonowal government's notification of 2021 which had added Rs 50 just before elections and increased it to Rs 217. This notification was also withdrawn and now only Rs 38 has been increased, the party said.

AICC general secretary and APCC in-charge Jitendra Singh said that the Congress party had guaranteed an increase of Rs 365 to tea workers within 6 hours of forming the government. Thus the tea workers (per person) are now having a loss of Rs 160 per day, said the APCC.

Congress added further taking reference to their electoral promise of Rs 365 increment to the daily wages of the tea workers, "If we calculate the loss of a tea worker it will be approximately Rs 4,500 every month which means the monthly loss of a tea worker for voting for BJP is Rs 4,500 which would amount to an annual loss of approximately Rs 54,000 per tea worker. If we again calculate for 5 years then it would come to a loss per tea worker of approximately Rs 2,70,000. What the loss of Rs 2,70,000 for a tea worker in 5 years means can only be felt by him and his family."

Congress called it a 'harsh gift' by the BJP government to the tea workers for voting the Saffron party to power.

"It is no doubt a rude shock for the simple tea workers to believe in the false promises of the BJP and the Congress feels that this is a lesson for others to learn as well," the party added.

Also Read: ATTSA Demands Assam Government for Rs 351 as Minimum Wage for Tea Workers