Government Meeting with Tea Industry Fails to Resolve Wage and Land Issues

Discussions on Wage and Land Allotment

Guwahati, Jan 17: A recent meeting organized by the Government aimed at addressing the ongoing concerns regarding daily wages and land rights for tea garden workers did not yield significant progress. The government outlined its intention to finalize the initial phase of land allotment for labor lines before the upcoming elections.

According to sources, the first phase of land distribution is set to be completed by February, involving 103 selected tea gardens. All gardens under the Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL) will surrender their labor line lands, while one tea garden from each legislative assembly constituency, along with any willing garden that agrees to relinquish its land, will be included in this phase.

Notices have already been dispatched to the selected gardens.

The meeting, which took place last evening, was led by Labour Minister Rupesh Gowala, with Chief Secretary Ravi Kota also in attendance.

During the discussions, the Chief Secretary urged industry representatives to collaborate with the government. He acknowledged that while the compensation requested by the industry could be complex, he was open to addressing the statutory obligations.

Tea garden managements are seeking relief from statutory responsibilities, including housing, maintenance, water supply, and recreational facilities provided to workers classified as 'resident workers.'

The Chief Secretary informed the attendees that the Assam Government plans to release the draft Rules of the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code and encouraged the industry to propose changes to the statutory obligations, which the government would consider.

The Plantations Labour Act of 1951, now integrated into the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code, mandates that workers receive housing and other essential amenities.

Challenges related to estate management and the valuation of standing assets were also part of the discussions regarding land allotment for workers.

While the government acknowledged the concerns raised, no firm commitments were made.

Regarding wage issues, an interim increase is expected soon, with a more permanent wage structure to be established once the national-level floor wage is determined by the central government and Assam's regulations are finalized.

The Labour Minister indicated that the Chief Minister would convene another meeting later this month and advised the industry to avoid any legal actions. A separate meeting will be scheduled soon to specifically address the interim wage increase.

However, sources indicate that industry representatives are still considering their legal options.