by Trishna Pegu Doley

GUWAHATI : The Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma today held a meeting with representatives of Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha and other tea bodies and discussed issues pertaining of wage fixation. The meeting decided to hike the daily wage of tea workers by Rs. 38. With this hike the tea workers in Brahmaputra Valley would get Rs. 205 from the existing Rs. 167 and tea workers of Barak Valley would get Rs 183 from the existing Rs. 145.

The meeting held at Assam Administrative Staff College this evening decided that in view of the long pending demands of the different tea bodies, the wage of the tea workers would henceforth be hiked to Rs. 205 and Rs. 183 with retrospective effect. The tea workers will get the increased wage with effect from 23 February of the present calendar year. It may be noted that earlier the government hiked the daily wage by Rs. 217. However, the decision could not be implemented following court order. Therefore, the government after threadbare discussion with the tea bodies following the demands of the tea workers decided to hike the daily wage to Rs. 205 and Rs. 183.

True to the government’s commitment and for the welfare of the tea garden workers the government would raise the remaining Rs, 12 after initiating consultation with stake holders and exuded confidence that an acceptable solution will be found out very soon. Minister Industries and Commerce Chandra Mohan Patowary Minister for Tea Tribe Welfare Sanjay Kisan, MP Pallab Lochan Das, MLA Rupesh Gowala, President Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha Paban Singh Ghatowar, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Samir Kumar Sinha, several other representatives of the tea groups and other senior officials were present at the meeting.