Lok Sabha Question No. 1244 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-06
Subject: Tea-Gaden Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: Anto  Antony, Raju Bista, Pradyut Bordoloi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1244

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2021

## TEA-GADEN WORKERS

## 1244. SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

SHRI RAJU BISTA:

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

- (a)whether  the  Government  maintains  data  on  the  number  of  teagarden workers in the Northeast region;
- (b)if so, the details thereof by state, district, and gender and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c)whether  the  Government  has  conducted  an  assessment  of  the
- economic impact of COVID-19 on tea-garden workers in Assam;
- (d)if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e)whether the Government has or intends to provide economic relief to  tea-garden  workers  in  light  of  COVID-19  and  if  so,  the  details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (f)whether  the  Government  has  received  any  proposals  from  State Governments  in  the  North-East  to  provide  support  to  tea-garden workers  for  the  same  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  the government's response; and
- (g)whether  many  tea  garden  owners,  particularly  in  the  Darjeeling, Kalimpong, and Alipurduars, and Jalpaiguri districts of West Bengal are not remitting Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) dues of workers regularly and if so, details of the defaulting tea garden units and the action taken against these defaulters so far?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

- (a) & (b): As  per  the  Baseline  Survey  conducted  by  the  Tea  Board during  2018,  the  details  of  tea  garden  workers  State,  District  and Gender wise in North Eastern Region is at Annexure.

(c) to (e): Tea Board collects the tea statistics (through online portal) from all the tea processing units and the data were compiled for the release  of  various  Tea  Statistics.  Further,  the  presence  of  the  Tea Board  official  at  the  grassroots  levels  acts  as  liasioning  officer between the tea stakeholders, the State Government and the Central Government. No separate studies have been made in this regard but the  data  collected  were  analyzed  for  preparation  of  various  reports and  preparation  of  action  plan.  Efforts  were  made  for  the  normal functioning of the tea gardens, tea processing units, auction centres, logistics  etc.,  in  almost  all  the  major  tea  growing  regions  following Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  guidelines  and  the  Standard  Operating Procedure prepared in this regard.

(f): Tea Board has extended some financial assistance to the workers  of  tea  gardens  through  its  Human  Resource  Development (HRD) component under the 'Tea Development & Promotion Scheme' implemented  during  the  Mid  Term  Framework  (MTF)  Period  (20172020)  which  was  extended  till  31.03.2021  for  the  tea  plantation workers of the tea growing states in the country. This scheme aims at achieving  improvements  in  the  life  and  living  conditions  of  the  Tea Plantation  workers  and  their  wards/dependents  under  three  broad categories viz:

Improving the health and hygiene of workers: Capital grants for hospitals (not tea garden hospital) / Medical clinics adjacent to tea garden  areas  towards  extension  of  treatment  facilities  and  also  for purchase  of  medical  equipment,  accessories  and  ambulance  and reservation of Beds, financial assistance for disabled persons/cancer /

heart patients/kidney transplantation in specialty hospitals.

Education  of  wards  of  workers:  Educational  stipend  for wards of tea plantation workers, Special scheme of Nehru Award for the  wards  of  tea  plantation  workers,  Scheme  for  book  and  school uniform  grant  to  needy  and  deserving  wards  of  tea  garden  workers especially  in  the  closed  tea  gardens  or  those  affected  by  severe natural calamities, Financial assistance to Bharat Scouts & Guides in tea growing States.

Imparting  training  to  improve  skills  for  workers  and  their dependents:  Vocational  training  for  wards  of  tea  plantation  workers and dependents.

(g): Employers in relation to Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) covered establishments, including tea plantations are required to file Electronic  Challan  cum  Return  (ECR)  in  respect  of  all  their  eligible employees and remit the dues within 15 days of close of wage month.

In the event of non-filing of ECR, the employers are alerted through SMS/e-mail to remit the dues and if compliance is not made, action is taken to through e-Inspections. On failure of the establishment to respond to e-Inspection, action is taken to inspect the records of establishments and to assess the amount-in-default by quasi-judicial process under section 7A of EPF & MP Act, 1952 and to recover the assessed dues. Penal damages is imposed under Section 14B of the EPF & MP Act, 1952 for willful default in payment of dues.

The  aforesaid  action  against  defaulter  is  a  continuous process  as  per  the  various  provisions  of  the  Act  till  compliance  is secured.

The details (District-wise) of defaulting tea garden units are as under:

| Name of District   |   No of defaulting Tea Establishments |
|--------------------|---------------------------------------|
| Darjeeling         |                                    59 |
| Alipurduar         |                                    14 |
| Jalpaiguri         |                                    11 |

The employees get SMS alert every month as to receipt or non-receipt  of monthly  contributions.  In case  of any  default by employers,  the  employee  concerned  or  their  Unions  have  facility  to lodge  grievance  on  the  EPFO's  Online  Grievance  Portal  EPFiGMS, which is also accessible through UMANG Mobile App.

*                                                      ******

ANNEXURE Annexure referred to in reply to Part (a) & (b) of Lok  Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1244 for 06.12.2021 by

Shri Anto Antony, Shri Pradyut Bordoloi and Shri Raju Bista regarding Tea-Garden Workers.

|                         |                     | Permanent   | Permanent   | Permanent   | Temporary   | Temporary   | Temporary   | Total   | Total   | Total   |
|-------------------------|---------------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|---------|---------|---------|
|                         | District            | Male        | Female      | Total       | Male        | Female      | Total       | Male    | Female  | Total   |
| State Arunahcal Pradesh | CHANGLANG           | 115         | 114         | 229         | 540         | 596         | 1136        | 655     | 710     | 1365    |
| State Arunahcal Pradesh | EAST SIANG          | 95          | 122         | 217         | 121         | 302         | 423         | 216     | 424     | 640     |
| State Arunahcal Pradesh | LONGDING            | 22          | 24          | 46          | 40          | 60          | 100         | 62      | 84      | 146     |
| State Arunahcal Pradesh | LOWER DIPANG VALLEY | 136         | 150         | 286         | 32          | 153         | 185         | 168     | 303     | 471     |
| State Arunahcal Pradesh | Lower Subansiri     | 7           | 28          | 35          | 15          | 5           | 20          | 22      | 33      | 55      |
| State Arunahcal Pradesh | NAMSAI              | 0           | 0           | 0           | 154         | 306         | 460         | 154     | 306     | 460     |
| State Arunahcal Pradesh | PAPUM PARE          | 10          | 11          | 21          | 10          | 19          | 29          | 20      | 30      | 50      |
| State Arunahcal Pradesh | TIRAP               | 39          | 39          | 78          | 104         | 86          | 190         | 143     | 125     | 268     |
| State Arunahcal Pradesh | UPPER SIANG         | 0           | 0           | 0           | 20          | 30          | 50          | 20      | 30      | 50      |
| State Arunahcal Pradesh | WEST SIANG          | 30          | 22          | 52          | 105         | 25          | 130         | 135     | 47      | 182     |
| Assam                   | BAKSA               | 1371        | 2295        | 3666        | 892         | 1245        | 2137        | 2263    | 3540    | 5803    |
|                         | BISWANATH           | 7269        | 8743        | 16012       | 5408        | 10822       | 16230       | 12677   | 19565   | 32242   |
|                         | BONGAIGAO N         | 159         | 151         | 310         | 170         | 480         | 650         | 329     | 631     | 960     |
|                         | CACHAR              | 12476       | 12678       | 25154       | 7389        | 10333       | 17722       | 19865   | 23011   | 42876   |
|                         | CHARAIDEO           | 12290       | 12052       | 24342       | 11144       | 17137       | 28281       | 23434   | 29189   | 52623   |
|                         | DARRANG             | 740         | 864         | 1604        | 541         | 1139        | 1680        | 1281    | 2003    | 3284    |
|                         | DHUBRI              | 639         | 494         | 1133        | 930         | 1466        | 2396        | 1569    | 1960    | 3529    |
|                         | DIBRUGARH           | 31664       | 32220       | 63884       | 20693       | 38912       | 59605       | 52357   | 71132   | 123489  |
|                         | DIMA HASAO          | 73          | 73          | 146         | 86          | 110         | 196         | 159     | 183     | 342     |
|                         | GOALPARA            | 182         | 191         | 373         | 88          | 306         | 394         | 270     | 497     | 767     |
|                         | GOLAGHAT            | 15691       | 17632       | 33323       | 8728        | 15206       | 23934       | 24419   | 32838   | 57257   |
|                         | HAILAKANDI          | 3662        | 3251        | 6913        | 2616        | 3083        | 5699        | 6278    | 6334    | 12612   |
|                         | JORHAT              | 18236       | 19936       | 38172       | 7797        | 12991       | 20788       | 26033   | 32927   | 58960   |
|                         | KAMRUP              | 175         | 184         | 359         | 379         | 533         | 912         | 554     | 717     | 1271    |
|                         | KARBI ANGLONG       | 529         | 683         | 1212        | 536         | 1060        | 1596        | 1065    | 1743    | 2808    |
|                         | KARIMGANJ           | 4534        | 4265        | 8799        | 1802        | 2181        | 3983        | 6336    | 6446    | 12782   |
|                         | KOKRAJHAR           | 1081        | 1270        | 2351        | 1714        | 2814        | 4528        | 2795    | 4084    | 6879    |
|                         | LAKHIMPUR           | 4041        | 4067        | 8108        | 3221        | 4755        | 7976        | 7262    | 8822    | 16084   |
|                         | MORIGAON            | 325         | 326         | 651         | 150         | 350         | 500         | 475     | 676     | 1151    |
|                         | NAGAON              | 6288        | 6529        | 12817       | 2517        | 5679        | 8196        | 8805    | 12208   | 21013   |
|                         | NORTH LAKHIMPUR     | 180         | 196         | 376         | 186         | 220         | 406         | 366     | 416     | 782     |
|                         | SIVASAGAR           | 7655        | 7684        | 15339       | 5199        | 8547        | 13746       | 12854   | 16231   | 29085   |
|                         | SIVSAGAR            | 1965        | 2335        | 4300        | 1400        | 2435        | 3835        | 3365    | 4770    | 8135    |
|                         | SONITPUR            | 18338       | 19790       | 38128       | 13398       | 23219       | 36617       | 31736   | 43009   | 74745   |
|                         | TINSUKIA            | 30554       | 34406       | 64960       | 22753       | 35070       | 57823       | 53307   | 69476   | 122783  |
|                         | UDALGURI            | 8756        | 10216       | 18972       | 7810        | 14603       | 22413       | 16566   | 24819   | 41385   |
| Maghalaya               | Ri-bhoi             | 27          | 21          | 48          | 33          | 23          | 56          | 60      | 44      | 104     |

| Mizoram   | CHAMPHAI      |    0 |    0 |    0 |   15 |   25 |   40 |   15 |   25 |   40 |
|-----------|---------------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|------|
| Nagaland  | Mokokchung    |    0 |    0 |    0 |   30 |   70 |  100 |   30 |   70 |  100 |
| Sikkim    | SOUTH SIKKIM  |  176 |  226 |  402 |   46 |  118 |  164 |  222 |  344 |  566 |
|           | DHALAI        |  429 |  512 |  941 |  205 |  327 |  532 |  634 |  839 | 1473 |
|           | KHOWAI        |    0 |    0 |    0 |    0 |    0 |    0 |    0 |    0 |    0 |
|           | NORTH TRIPURA | 1031 | 1123 | 2154 |  265 |  248 |  513 | 1296 | 1371 | 2667 |
| Tripura   | SIPAHIJALA    |  145 |  242 |  387 |   69 |   59 |  128 |  214 |  301 |  515 |
| Tripura   | SOUTH TRIPURA |   29 |   71 |  100 |   54 |  138 |  192 |   83 |  209 |  292 |
| Tripura   | UNAKOTI       |  534 |  760 | 1294 |  678 | 1054 | 1732 | 1212 | 1814 | 3026 |
| Tripura   | WEST TRIPURA  |  853 | 1336 | 2189 |  373 |  715 | 1088 | 1226 | 2051 | 3277 |

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