Assam CM proposes annual hike of tea garden workers' wages

GUWAHATI: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday proposed the idea of increasing wages of tea garden workers annually.

Sarma opined that the annual increase will also help reduce the sudden burden that tea garden managements face when wages are hiked after three or four years, he said.

Sarma proposed this idea during a launch of an incentive scheme for the tea industry of the state.

He said that a "decent practice should be adopted, which will ensure that there is no tension among the workers and work can go on in a seamless atmosphere."

Sarma has also suggested putting an end to the "hybrid model" of paying wages to the workers and moving towards cash-only mode.

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The daily wage of tea garden workers in the state was hiked by Rs 38 after the new government was formed in May.

Biswa Sarma also said the government will provide tapped water to all tea garden workers by the end of March of 2022.

He said that a proposal under the "Jal Jeevan Mission" has already been placed before the tea garden owners at Sunday's meeting.

If the proposal is acceptable to the management of tea gardens, a scheme will be announced in the state budget on July 16 he added.

Piped cooking gas will be provided to houses of the tea garden workers in Upper Assam which are covered by Assam Gas Company, he added.

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