Assam govt to increase minimum wage of tea workers soon

Assam Finance Minister HimantaBiswa Sarma on Saturday said the government will issue anotification in the next 10 days to increase the minimum wageof tea garden workers in the state.Addressing a public rally here in the presence ofUnion Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Chief MinisterSarbananda Sonowal, he said the proposal to raise theminimum wage of tea labourers will be approved in the nextcabinet meeting.Wait for 10 more days.

Assam Finance Minister HimantaBiswa Sarma on Saturday said the government will issue anotification in the next 10 days to increase the minimum wageof tea garden workers in the state.

Addressing a public rally here in the presence ofUnion Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Chief MinisterSarbananda Sonowal, he said the proposal to raise theminimum wage of tea labourers will be approved in the nextcabinet meeting.

''Wait for 10 more days. We will issue a notificationto increase your wages. After the next cabinet meeting, you'llhear good news,'' Sarma told tea garden workers.

The opposition Congress had criticised Union HomeMinister Amit Shah after his recent visit to the state,alleging that the government did nothing to grant ST status totea garden workers.

The party also alleged the government has failed toensure that tea workers in the state get the minimum dailywage of Rs 351.

Countering these allegations, Sarma slammed theCongress for not opening bank accounts of tea garden workers.

He claimed that the BJP-led government opened over6.33 lakh bank accounts in three months after the announcementof demonetisation in 2016.

Sarma also mentioned that the state government hasspent Rs 1,400 crore for building roads inside gardens andopened high schools there.

He said the Sarbananda Sonowal dispensation offered Rs12,000 each to 47,000 pregnant women in the estates.

Ahead of the assembly polls in Assam, Sitharaman onSaturday distributed Rs 3,000 each to 7.47 lakh tea gardenworkers in the state under the Assam Chah Bagicha DhanPuraskar Mela Scheme.

Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal accused the Congressof neglecting the development of tea belt in the state.