Tea garden bodies slam Assam govt’s Rs 30 daily wage hike as inadequate

DIBRUGARH, Mar 1: The State government's decision to increase the daily wages of tea garden workers by Rs 30 has drawn sharp criticism from tea garden-based organisations, including the All Adivasi Students' Association of Assam (AASAA) and the Adivasi Youth-Students' Association of Assam (AYSAA).

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday announced that wages in the Brahmaputra valley will rise to Rs 280, and will be Rs 258 in the Barak valley as an interim measure as per a decision taken at a meeting of the State Cabinet. He had said a tripartite meeting was held earlier during the day between the State government, tea garden labour unions and owners on the issue of increasing the wages.

However, the revised wage remains below the Rs 351 benchmark that featured prominently in the BJP's 2016 Assembly election promise.

Reacting to the announcement, the organisations said the hike falls short of ensuring a justified minimum wage. AASAA president Rejan Horo reiterated the association's demand for fixing the daily wage at Rs 551 in view of the current cost of living.

"The government's statement that the final wage structure will be aligned with the new labour codes once the rules are notified is nothing but a misleading and hollow assurance. Plantation workers cannot survive on future promises while struggling every day to meet their basic needs," Horo said.

He asserted that in the current inflationary environment, any wage below Rs 551 is "unjust, exploitative, and inhuman." Horo further maintained that even the earlier promise of Rs 351 does not adequately address the economic hardships faced by tea garden workers. According to him, low wages remain a primary factor behind the continued social, education-al, economic and political backwardness of the tea garden communities.

"The exploitation of tea plantation workers cannot continue under the guise of interim measures and false assurances. Dignity, fair wages and constitutional rights are not charity; they are fundamental entitlements," he said, adding that AASAA would intensify its agitation until its demands are met.

Echoing similar sentiments, AYSAA also opposed the State government's decision, terming it anti-worker and unjust. The organisation said the marginal increase does not reflect ground realities, particularly in the context of rising inflation and economic hardship.

AYSAA president Nipen Munda said tea garden workers in Assam are entitled to a minimum daily wage of at least Rs 500. "The present wage revision is contrary to the spirit and objective of the law," he said.

Describing the hike as an injustice and an insult to the tea worker community, which is termed the back-bone of Assam's economy, Munda demanded that the State government immediately review and revise the wage structure to fix the minimum daily wage at not less than Rs 500. He warned that failing this, the organisation would launch a democratic movement across the State.

By

Staff Correspondent