Dispur to fix wage of small tea garden workers

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Dispur is contemplating fixing the rate of the daily wages of labourers working in small tea gardens on a par with MGNREGA workers.

Labourers of small tea gardens do not get their wages at a fixed rate. The daily wage varies from one tea garden to another.

Dispur is now planning to fix the daily wage rate of the labourers of small tea gardens at Rs 224, commensurate with that of MGNREGA workers.

Talking to The Sentinel, State Labour Welfare Minister Sanjoy Kishan said, "Small tea growers contribute a handsome quantity to the total production of tea in the state. By now, the government has given them some incentives. They are mainly local youths. It has come to our notice that the labourers of small tea gardens do not get a fixed and remunerative wage. Their wage varies from one tea garden to another. Some get Rs 90, some get Rs 100 or above per day.

"We are contemplating fixing their wages. We have initiated the issue with the Assam Small Tea Growers' Association. Let's see how much we can do towards that end."

The small tea gardens of Assam provide direct and indirect job avenues to around 15 lakh people. Their contribution is almost 50 per cent of the total tea production in the state.

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