Lok Sabha Question No. 113 (STARRED), answered on 2022-02-09
Subject: Welfare of Tea Garden Workers
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 113 TO BE ANSWERED ON 09 th  FEBRUARY, 2022

## WELFARE OF TEA GARDEN WORKERS

## *113.   SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मं त्री ) be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the use/disbursement of the Rs. 1000 crore funds for the welfare of tea garden workers in West Bengal and Assam, allocated in the 2021-22 annual budget;
- (b) whether  there  is  any  delay  in  disbursement  of  the  allocated  funds  and  if  so,  the  reasons therefor;
- (c) whether there is any delay in the release of the subsidy to the tea gardens of North Bengal;
- (d) if so, the details of the subsidies pending as on date;
- (e) the reasons for delay in the payment and expected date of clearing of all pending subsidies; and
- (f) the details of various schemes for the welfare of tea garden workers and their family members being run by the Tea Board/Ministry?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=h ( Jh ih;w'k xks;y )

## THE MINISTER OF  COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (f):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

*****

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a) to (f)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED  QUESTION  NO. 113   FOR  ANSWER  ON  09 th  FEBRUARY, 2022 REGARDING   'WELFARE OF TEA GARDEN WORKERS'.

(a) to (f): Tea Board has implemented welfare activities under Human Resource Development (HRD) component of the 'Tea Development and Promotion Scheme' during the Medium Term Framework period from 2017-18 to 2019-20 and extended till 2020-21, aimed at improving the health and hygiene of workers, education of wards  of workers and imparting training to improve  skills for growers/workers. The 'Tea Development & Promotion Scheme' approved for implementation by Tea Board during the 15 th Finance Commission period from 2021-22 to 2025-26 has a component for the welfare of small Tea growers and their workers.

Tea Board has provided the assistance of Rs.25.78 crore towards the welfare of the tea garden workers and their wards/dependents during the period from 2016-17 till 2021-22 (up to January, 2022) covering 36516 beneficiaries in All India.

The working condition of tea garden workers in the country are governed by the Plantation Labour  Act  (PLA),  1951.  The  Act  requires  the  employers  to  provide  the  workers  with  housing, medical facilities, sickness and maternity benefits and other forms of social security measures. There are  provisions  for  educational  facilities  for  the  children,  drinking  water,  conservancy,  canteens, creches and recreational facilities for the benefit of the tea plantations workers and their families in and around the work places in the tea estates. The welfare provisions of the Plantation Labour Act, 1951 have now been subsumed in two labour codes- the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions  Code,  2020  and  Social  Security  Code,  2020.  The  Plantation  Labour  Act,  1951  is implemented by the State Governments.

There is no delay in disbursement of subsidy. Financial assistance of Rs. 119.03 crore has been provided by the Tea Board under the 'Tea Development and Promotion Scheme' to the tea gardens  of  North  Bengal  during  the  last  five  years  and  current  year  [2016-17  till  2021-22  (upto January, 2022)]. Tea Board disburses subsidies to eligible tea stakeholders as per budget provisions and approved scheme guidelines. All cases where subsidy was sanctioned have been disbursed, hence there is no pendency.

A  provision  of  Rs.  200.00  crore  was  provided  in  the  Budget  of  Tea  Board  for  2021-22. Sanction process for Rs. 200.00 Crore under BE has not been completed.

*****