BJP has 'looted' Rs. 3,000 crore from Assam's tea workers, claims Congress MLA

GUWAHATI: A sitting Congress MLA from Assam has slammed the ruling BJP party for its refusal to hike the wages of the tea tribe labourers of the state, while claiming that the community has been deprived of around Rs. 3,000 crore.

 

Rupjyoti Kurmi, Congress MLA who represents the Mariani Constituency in Upper Assam, claims that the BJP's cash doles to the community means noting as the BJP has paid the workers "out of their own pocket."

 

"Back in 2014, the BJP promised that they would raise the wage to Rs. 351. However, they have raised wages by only Rs. 30. Prior to that, their salaries were being doubled every 2 years under Congress rule. In the last 3 years, the tea tribe community has been deprived of Rs. 2,908 crore. They have released only Rs. 8,000 to around 7.5 lakh workers only to woo them ahead of elections. It is akin to frying fish in fish oil."

 

 

It needs mention here that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today launched the 3rd phase of Chah Bagicha Dhan Puraskar Mela while ceremonially distributing the third tranche of financial assistance to tea garden area beneficiaries under the scheme at a programme held at Assam Veterinary College Playground at Khanapara in the city.

 

In the third phase of the scheme, launched for financial inclusion of tea tribe community through opening of bank accounts, an amount of Rs 3000 was transferred directly to 7, 46,667 bank accounts of beneficiaries in the garden areas.

 

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Notably, under this scheme started by the Assam Government in the year 2017- 18, Rs 2500 was provided to 6,33,411 bank accounts in the first phase while an additional amount of Rs 2500 was deposited to 7,15,979 bank accounts in the second tranche in 2018-19.

 

Speaking at the event Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Finance Minister of State, said the government is mulling the introduction of 10% reservation in tea garden neighbouring colleges for the students of the community apart from the already implemented 10% reservation in medical and engineering colleges. He also promised that the State Government would soon announce an increase in wages of the tea garden workers of the state and more good news would come.