Lok Sabha Question No. 795 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-21
Subject: Tea Garden Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: R.P. MARUTHARAJAA, VIRENDRA  KUMAR, RAJESHBHAI NARANBHAI CHUDASAMA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 795

TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.11.2016

## TEA GARDEN WORKERS

795. SHRI R.P. MARUTHARAJAA: DR. VIRENDRA KUMAR: SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

Will  the  Minister  of  LABOUR  AND  EMPLOYMENT  be  pleased  to state:

- (a)whether  the  Government  has  received  any  request/representation from tea garden workers for increasing their wages and if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto;
- (b)whether the labourers working in the tea gardens get wages as per the Plantation Act;
- (c)if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the  corrective  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard;
- (d)whether  tea  garden  workers  in  the  country  are  reportedly  getting very low wages and are deprived of social security cover and if so, the  reasons  therefor  and  the  reaction  of  the  Government  thereto; and
- (e)the various welfare schemes being implemented by the Government for tea garden workers in the country including Assam?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI BANDARU DATTATREYA)

- (a): Various representations from the tea garden workers' unions for increase in wages and social security cover are being received from time to time.  The last representation was received on 26 th  July, 2016 highlighting the conditions of Tea Garden Workers at Dumchipara Tea Garden in West Bengal.

Contd..2/-

(b) to (d): The tea plantation workers in all the plantation States are paid  wages  as  per  the  negotiated  agreement  reached  through  a process  of  collective  bargaining  between  the  Producer  Associations and Workers Unions under the aegis of the respective State Governments.  The current rate of Wages in Tea gardens in different States in the country is given in Annexure.  Apart from that some other fringe benefits  like food grains, dry tea, fuel etc. are also given to the workers.

The  workers  of  tea  plantation  are  covered  under  various Social  Security  Acts  like  Workmen's  Compensation  Act,  Payment  of Gratuity Act, Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, (Assam Tea Plantation Provident Fund, Pension Fund and Deposit Link Insurance  Fund  Scheme  Act  1955  -  only  for  Assam)  and  Maternity Benefit Act.

(e): The  Plantations  Labour  Act,  1951  provides  for  regulation of  the conditions of work in tea plantations and the welfare measures for    the  workers employed in tea plantations.  Further the plantation workers  of  organized  sector  who  are  engaged  in  established  tea estates  may  avail  the  benefits  of  different  welfare  activities  of  Tea Board  under  the  ongoing  HRD  scheme  during  the  12 th   Plan  period including the State of Assam. For the welfare of unorganized workers in plantations, the Government has approved   Educational stipend for school/technical degrees/vocational courses etc.  under the Small Tea Growers Development Scheme of Tea Board  implemented during the ongoing 12 th   Plan  period.  Apart  from  that,  Group  Insurance  has  been implemented for the benefit of the workers of small tea growers in the event of death or any disablement for coverage of Rs. 2 lakhs with a nominal premium of Rs.14/- per person.

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ANNEXURE

The current rate of Wages in tea gardens in different states in the country is given below:

| Assam   | West Bengal                                                 | West Bengal              | Tamil Nadu   | Kerala   | Karnataka   | Himachal Pradesh   | Tripura   |
|---------|-------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|--------------|----------|-------------|--------------------|-----------|
| Assam   | Hill Areas (Darjeeling,K alimpong&K urseong Sub- Divisions) | Dooars and Terai Regions | Tamil Nadu   | Kerala   | Karnataka   |                    |           |
| 126.00  | 132.50                                                      | 132.50                   | 241.31       | 310.04   | 263.29      | 180.00             | 93.00     |

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