Assam government to deposit Rs 3,000 to each of eight lakh tea-estate workers

GUWAHATI: The Assam government is going to deposit Rs 3,000 through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) in each of the eight lakh accounts of tea garden labourers, at a function here on February 6. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be the chief guest at the function.

Earlier also, the State government had deposited Rs 5,000 in two equal installments to each of the accounts of the tea-estate labourers.

These payments will cost Rs 240 crore to the State exchequer.

Reacting to the move, ACMS (Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangh) general secretary Rupesh Gowala said, "Before the last Lok Sabha election the State government deposited Rs 5,000 in two equal installments to around 7.21 lakh accounts of tea garden workers. Now in the run-up to the Assembly election, the State government is depositing Rs 3,000 to each of the around eight tea estate workers' accounts.

"Paying schemes' fund this way, the living standard of tea garden workers can never be upgraded. The government needs to raise their wages so as to ensure them a better life. Before the 2016 Assembly election in the State, the BJP promised to hike tea labourers' daily wage up to Rs 351. Let the government keep that promise."

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