HAILAKANDI, Dec 2 - In order to ensure hassle-free payment of wages to the tea garden workers through bank accounts, the Chief General Manager of BSNL, MK Seth held a meeting with the officials of the district administration to sort out connectivity-related issues in Hailakandi district.
The Deputy Commissioner of Hailakandi district has already directed the tea garden authorities to start payment of wages of the labourers electronically through their respective bank accounts from December 15 next.
Meanwhile, the Chief Manager of State Bank of India�s Hailakandi branch, Jaydeep Mazumdar met the Deputy Commissioner and enlightened him about the dismal BSNL services in Hailakandi district and expressed serious concern over the transfer and withdrawal of salaries of the tea garden labourers successfully on time due to this lacunae.
It may be mentioned here that entire Hailakandi district is facing extreme difficulties due to the poor BSNL network and the local people have expressed grave doubts about successful implementation of cashless transaction.
During the visit of Seth, Deputy Commissioner Bora apprised him about the slew of steps being initiated by the administration by taking the tea garden managements, tea associations and workers� unions into confidence in order to make payment of wages to the workers smooth and hassle-free.
He also informed that the tea garden managements have agreed to provide space for installation of ATMs along with electricity, and that they would look after their maintenance as well.
In the meantime, a joint team comprising officials from the civil and police administration, District Labour Officer, banks and tea garden managements have been constituted to study the feasibility of setting up of ATMs in tea gardens and their adjoining areas. Seth assured the Deputy Commissioner that BSNL would provide the expertise and knowhow to solve the connectivity problem in remote areas as well as in some tea estates.
Emerging from the meeting, the officials visited Ainakhal Tea Estate to inspect the CSP of SBI, where processing was on for opening accounts of scores of tea garden workers. They also visited SBI Monacherra branch and discussed the connectivity issue and steps to be taken to strengthen it. District Labour Officer Alimuddin Barbhuiya highlighted the problems faced by the tea estates in opening of bank accounts through CSPs before the BSNL official.
Meanwhile, the tea estate managements requested Deputy Commissioner Moloy Bora to continue with the process of payment through DC account for two more weeks till all accounts are opened and bankers are ready to make payments through the individual accounts of the workers. Following this plea, the Deputy Commissioner said that he would convey it to the State Finance Department for necessary approval.
On the issue of closure of CSPs at 8 pm, Bora assured the garden managements that he would take up the matter with the Government of Assam for extension of time of payment gateway portal of SBI so that the CSPs could work in the field beyond 8 pm. The BSNL authorities suggested the garden managements to go for connectivity under business plan and not home plan as well as Y-max connectivity for faster net connectivity in remote areas.
They informed that the General Manager of BSNL, Assam Circle will visit the district during the first week of the current month to make an on-the-spot assessment of connectivity-related issues. The Deputy Commissioner suggested all the bankers and CSPs to switch over to multiple network connectivity through BSNL and other service providers to hasten the process of opening of tea garden workers� accounts.
