Lok Sabha Question No. 3551 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-15
Subject: Plantation Labour Force
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Pradyut Bordoloi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3551 TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.07.2019

## PLANTATION LABOUR FORCE

3551. SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

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

- (a)whether it is a fact that new welfare schemes have been formulated and implemented for the plantation labour forces;
- (b)whether there is any welfare scheme launched particularly for the Tea Plantation labour force, if so, the details thereof;
- (c)whether it is  also  a  fact  that  Tea  Garden  workers  of  Assam  were not getting the prescribed minimum daily wages, if not, the present
- rate of daily wages that the tea labour forces are being given now;
- (d)whether  the  Ministry  has  launched  any  such  scheme  to  pay sufficient  compensations  to  the  dependents  of  labourers  of  Tea Garden in case of death of Tea or Ex-Tea garden worker and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e)if not, whether the Government has adopted any policy for guarding the social and economic security of Tea Garden Workers, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)

- (a): No Sir. However, the Plantation Labour (PL) Act, 1951 regulates the  conditions  of  work  in  plantations  and  provide  for  the  welfare  of plantation  labour.  The  Act  requires  the  employers  to  provide  the workers  with  housing,  medical  facilities,  sickness  and  maternity benefits and other form  of social  security    measures. There  are

provisions  for  educational  facility  for  the  worker's  children,  drinking water, conservancy, canteens, crèches and recreational facilities for the  benefit  of  the  tea  plantation  workers  and  their  families  in  and around the work places in the tea estates. The PL Act is implemented through  the  concerned  State  Governments  for  which  separate  Rules have been framed by them.

- (b): Yes sir. The labour welfare measures are undertaken within the ambit  of  the  Plan  Scheme  of  the  Tea  Board  i.e.  Human  Resource Development component (HRD) under the overall 'Tea Development & Promotion Scheme''. This HRD component aims at achieving improvements in  the  life  and  living  conditions  of  the  Tea  Plantation workers  and  their dependents  under  the  three  broad  areas  viz. (a)  Improving the health and hygiene of workers and their dependants; (b)  Education of wards of workers & (c) Training to the wards/dependants  of  workers.  During  the  last  5  years  (2014-15  to 2018-19) Tea Board has disbursed Rs.22 Crs. under the HRD component  for  the  welfare  of  tea  garden  workers.  Tea  Board  also supports and extends certain welfare measures for the welfare of tea workers and their wards/dependants, which is supplemental in nature.
- (c): The  wages  for  workers  employed  in  tea  estates  in  Assam  are fixed through a process of negotiations held between the management and  the  workers'  unions.  In  case  of  Assam  the  negotiations  are concluded at a Bi-partite level and thereafter the agreement is sent to the  State  Government  for  notification.  Presently,  the  workers  of Assam valley are paid Rs.167.00 per day and workers of Barak Valley are paid Rs.145.00 per day as daily wage.
- (d): No Sir. However, under the Employees' compensation Act, 1923 which is applicable to organised tea plantations, there is a provision for compensation to the dependents of workers.
- (e): The  Plantation  Labour  Act,  1951  mandates  the  tea  estates  to provide basic welfare services and amenities viz. housing, medical and primary education, water supply, sanitation etc. to the tea workers.   Moreover, the workers of the tea industry are covered by all social  security  legislations  like  the  Employees'  Compensation  Act, 1923,  the  Payment  of  Gratuity  Act,  1972,  the  Employees'  Provident Funds & Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1952, the Payment of Bonus

Act, 1965, the Maternity Benefit Act 1961, the Payment of Wages Act, 1936,  the  Equal  Remuneration  Act,  1976,  the  Assam  Tea  Plantation Provident  Fund,  Pension  Fund  and  Deposit  Link  Insurance  Fund Scheme Act 1955 - only for Assam.

Besides,  the  government  implements  through  the  Tea  Board various welfare activities for tea plantation workers and their dependents  in  tea  estates.  The  welfare  activities  undertaken  by  the Tea Board under the Human Resource Development (HRD) Scheme aim at improving the health and hygiene of workers, education of wards of workers and imparting training to improve skills for growers/workers.

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