Lok Sabha Question No. 3481 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-21
Subject: Tea Garden Workers
Ministry: LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT
Asked by: ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY, SHIVKUMAR CHANABASAPPA UDASI, NABA KUMAR SARANIA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3481 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2015

## TEA GARDEN WORKERS

3481. SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY:

SHRI SHIVKUMAR UDASI: SHRI NABA KUMAR SARANIA:

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

- (a)whether the labourers working in the tea gardens get wages as per   the Plantation Act;
- (b)if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c)whether such tea garden workers in the country get very low wages and are deprived of social security cover and if so, the reasons therefor and the reaction of the Government thereto; and
- (d)the  various  welfare  schemes  implemented  particularly  for  tea  garden workers in the country including Assam and West Bengal?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d): The  wages  of  the  labourers  working  in  the  tea  gardens  are being decided as per the provisions of the Minimum Wages Act, 1948 (11 of 1948).

Further,  the  Ministry  of  Commerce  &  Industry  has  informed  that  the  tea garden workers are paid wages as per the negotiated agreement reached through a process of collective bargaining between the producer associations and workers unions. The prevailing daily wages being paid to the workers in different States are as under:

|   Sl. No. | Name of the state   | Existing Basic Wage rate (Rs.)            | Other/Fringe benefits in terms of Rupees as understood from different Tea Associations                                                                                                             |
|-----------|---------------------|-------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|         1 | Assam               | a) Assam valley- 115.00 b) Cachar- 100.00 | a) Rs.109.89 which includes food grain, dry tea, fuel, housing, education facilities, medical, maternity benefit, P.F., Gratuity, bonus etc. b) Rs.95.03 which includes all above as at (a) above. |

|   2 | West Bengal      | 122.50                                                                  | a) Dooars- Rs.117.05 which includes all above as at sl. No.1. b) Terai- Rs.114.15 which includes all above as at sl. No.1. c) Darjeeling-Rs.121.94 which includes all above as at sl. No.1.   |
|-----|------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   3 | Tamil Nadu       | 230.03                                                                  | 173.92 which includes all above as at sl. No.1.                                                                                                                                               |
|   4 | Kerala           | 301.00                                                                  | N.A.                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|   5 | Karnataka        | 247.95                                                                  |                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|   6 | Himachal Pradesh | a)Permanent worker - 180.00+12%P F b) Temporary worker - 180.00+ Sunday | Free housing, electricity, water etc.                                                                                                                                                         |
|   7 | Tripura          | 71.00                                                                   | Rs.64.0994 which includes all above as at sl. No.1.                                                                                                                                           |

Various initiatives have been taken by the Government, through Tea Board, during the XII Plan Period, which includes, holding meetings with the State Governments & Tea Boards & emphasizing on including all tea growing areas under the flagship scheme for social welfare; requesting State Governments to cancel the lease of land for closed tea garden & identifying new lessees for  managing  the  garden;  request  the  State  Governments,  including  West Bengal,  for  deputing  nodal  officers  to  cooperate  in  formulating  revival package  for  closed  tea  garden  and  payment  of  Rs.  3000/-  to  the  wards  of workers  in  closed  tea  estate  by  the  Tea  Board  under  Tea  Development  & Promotion  Scheme.  For  revival  of  closed  Tea  Garden  in  the  State  of  West Bengal & Assam  several meetings have been held between Central Government, Governments of both States & Tea Boards.

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