The Central Government will soon take up with the concerned State Governments the issue of implementation of minimum fixed wage in the tea sector, Union Minister of State (Independent charge) for Commerce and Industry Nirmala Sitharaman said on Monday.
There were reports that the minimum wages fixed by the Government of India were not paid to the tea workers in many tea estates across the country, she added.
“We are soon going to take up the issue with the concerned States,” said the Union Minister while participating in a stakeholders’ consultation meeting of the tea sector of India, in Guwahati on Monday.
The issue of minimum wages implementation assumes significance in Assam as Assam alone produces over 50 per cent of India’s annual tea production. While there more than 800 tea estates in Assam, there are more than five lakh permanent workers and another six lakh temporary workers working in the sector in Assam.