GUWAHATI, April 6 - Labour and Tea Tribes Welfare Minister Pallab Lochan Das today said that from this year, the daily wages of tea workers in Brahmaputra and Barak valleys would be same.
As of now, workers in Brahmaputra Valley are entitled for a daily wage of Rs 137 and those of Barak Valley Rs 115, along with an �attendance allowance�. The three-year wage agreement, signed between the Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations and the Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha had expired last December.
The government had recently formed a committee to revise the minimum wages, which will not be fixed through a bilateral agreement � between the workers� representatives and the managements � from now on.
In his response to a special discussion on the tea industry at the Assembly today, the Das said that 100 high schools will be opened in the tea garden areas. �The government has already identified land to set up 57 of them,� he said, adding that initiative is also being taken to organise book fairs in the tea belts.
He also informed that 30 students of the tea community are undergoing training at the Administrative Staff College for appearing in competitive exams.
Referring to steps being taken by the government to ensure social security of tea workers, Das said workers would get a pension of Rs 1,000 for 10 years after retirement. �We are also working on a family pension scheme for the tea workers. Besides, we are also working on transferring the PF to the worker�s account within 15 days of application,� he said.
The government has also earmarked Rs 17 crore to revitalize the tea research station at Tocklai.
