Tripura tea workers likely to get wage hike as talks progress

Tripura tea garden workers may soon see a hike in their wages, as the Tripura government and tea garden owners have initiated the process through ongoing talks.

Tripura is a traditional tea-growing state with a history of tea plantations dating back to 1916. Currently, Tripura ranks as the 5th largest tea-producing state in India, after West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala.

The total production of made tea in Tripura has varied between 8–9 million kilograms in recent years, contributing around 10% of the total made tea production in India.

The average sale price realized by Tripura tea in the auction market is about Rs. 200 per kilogram. Additionally, Tripura tea is being supplied through ration shops in some areas of the state. The tea currently produced in Tripura is recognized for its good quality.

On Monday, Tripura Labour Minister Tinku Roy chaired a meeting with tea garden owners and said that they had held a constructive discussion on various important issues, including the development of the tea industry, future plans, and the welfare of tea workers.

Speaking with India Today NE, Minister Roy said there is a plan to increase the wages of tea garden workers; however, no final decision has been taken yet.

“We have held a meeting on the hike of wages of the tea garden workers and on the overall infrastructure of the tea industry. For the past few months, a series of meetings have been held between the labour department, tea garden workers, and owners regarding the wage hike. A committee was also formed under the chairmanship of MLA Swapna Das Paul. In that regard, I chaired a review meeting, and a plan is afoot to increase the wages of tea garden workers,” he said.

At present, tea garden workers receive Rs. 176 as wages. Soon after the BJP formed the government in 2018, the wages were increased from Rs. 105 to Rs. 173, and later to Rs. 176.