Assam's Tea Garden Workers Face Migration Crisis Amid Exploitation

In Assam's tea gardens, a troubling migration crisis is unfolding as young workers leave their homes in search of better livelihoods. Many fall prey to exploitation and false promises from brokers, leading to heartbreaking outcomes. Raju Sahu, a prominent trade union leader, warns of the dangers these youths face and calls for urgent action to protect them. Despite existing government welfare programs, many remain unaware of the support available. Sahu emphasizes the need for registration and formal agreements to safeguard these workers. This article sheds light on the urgent need for collective action to address this crisis and protect the future of Assam's youth.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jul 16, 2025, 10:19 IST

Migration Crisis in Assam's Tea Gardens

Dibrugarh, July 16: In the serene landscapes of Assam's tea estates, a troubling trend is emerging. Each year, countless young laborers abandon their families and communities, seeking better opportunities in far-off cities such as Bengaluru, Delhi, and Chennai, as well as overseas. However, what starts as a hopeful venture often devolves into a tale of hardship, exploitation, and despair. Many are misled by unscrupulous brokers, leading to a situation where they fail to find the stability they sought, with some never returning home.

The Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha (ACMS), the foremost trade union in the plantation sector, has issued a grave warning regarding the escalating migration crisis affecting the tea estates in the state.

Raju Sahu, a former MLA from Chabua and a seasoned trade unionist with ACMS, expressed his deep worries: "These young individuals are not merely leaving Assam for employment; many are stepping into perilous situations. Deceitful brokers are offering them false promises. Most are unprotected, untrained, and unfamiliar with the very systems designed to protect them."

Sahu shared distressing accounts of young tea workers who, in their desperation to escape poverty, have been trafficked abroad. "Some have never returned. There are families in these plantations who lack the means to repatriate their loved ones' remains," he lamented.

"Consider the anguish of a mother who discovers her son has died in a foreign land, unable to perform his last rites. Women and girls are especially at risk. There are stories that will shatter your heart," Sahu added.

Despite national initiatives like the National Skill Development Mission (NSDC) and state programs such as the Assam Skill Development Mission (ASDM), many of these young workers remain unaware of available support. This lack of awareness stems from a failure to reach out and inform them about existing government welfare programs.

"The first step must be to register every plantation and migrant worker with the Labour Welfare Department," Sahu insisted. "Without this registration, they remain invisible. And the invisible are always the first to suffer."

He highlighted that registration would unlock essential benefits, including hospitalization support, pensions, educational assistance for children, disability scholarships, maternity aid, and marriage allowances. "These benefits could transform lives, yet currently, no one is informing them of their existence," he stated.

Sahu also advocated for formal agreements between Assam and other states, akin to the MoUs already established by states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh, to ensure legal protections for interstate migrant workers. "Why should our youth risk their lives when there are programs available that could empower them to secure their futures?" he questioned. "Let us restore their dignity in their homeland," he urged.

The trade union leader called upon the government, political parties, NGOs, and civil society to unite in this cause. "This transcends politics; it is about safeguarding our youth. We require grassroots initiatives, awareness campaigns, and coordinated efforts before more lives are lost."