Assam: Announcement of Wage Hike Triggers Celebrations in Tea Gardens

DOOMDOOMA: The announcement regarding the hike in the wages of the labourers engaged in the picking of tea leaves has triggered a wave of happiness among the public of the tea gardens of the state.

The celebration was also visible among the people working in the tea gardens of Doomdooma. In one such celebration, the people engaged in the picking of fresh leaves set aside their baskets and danced to the tunes of Jhumur which they played over their mobile phones soon after hearing the news.

These people also thanked the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Labour Minister Sanjoy Kishan for this hike in their wages. One of the workers mentioned, “With the growth of the prices of all essential items across the state, it was almost impossible for us to sustain our daily necessities.” Some of them also requested them to reduce the prices of essential items and to control the growing inflation in the state.

Previously the State Industry and Commerce Minister Bimal Borah informed the Assam Legislative Assembly that there were around 762 big tea gardens in Assam and 1,25,000 STGs. He said that due to various reasons, some tea garden owners were selling off their gardens. “When new owners take over, they bring with them new ideas for the development of the tea gardens. This in turn leads to the progress of the tea labourers. Sale of tea gardens will not have any negative impact on the tea industry,” said the minister.

Regarding the STGs, Borah said that they play a pivotal role in the development of the Assam tea industry. “However, some STGs do not maintain the quality of the green tea leaves. As a result, the quality of the tea made from these green tea leaves is also not maintained. So we are laying focus on mechanization. Awards have been instituted for STGs and the government is giving subsidy to STGs to start factories. Workshops are being conducted for STGs,” said Borah.

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