In what could bring succor to the millions of tea garden workers in Assam and their families, the Assam Government on Monday said that the tea garden management has to either continue the subsidised ration to the workers or hike their wages.
Assam Food and Civil Supplies Minister Nazrul Islam informed this during the first day of the five-day Winter Session of the Assam legislative Assembly while replying to a question raised by Congress legislator Pallab lochan Das.
The first day of the Winter Session on Monday also witnessed noisy scenes over the issue of curtailment of the subsidised ration to tea workers in Assam by the Centre as the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) legislators staged a walkout from the House over the issue.
It may be mentioned here that the Centre’s recent move to stop the bulk food grain subsidy to the tea garden management and to replace the Public Distribution System (PDS) with the National Food Security Act has threatened the families of 19.28 lakh tea garden workers in Assam.
“According to the latest instruction from the Centre, we are going to stop supply of the subsidised ration to the tea garden labourers from January next year. However, the subsidised ration to the tea garden workers in Assam are part of their wages under the Tea Plantations Act of 1952,” said Islam, adding the tea garden management now has to procure the rice and wheat from the market and supply it to the labourers or they have to increase the wages of the workers.
While a tea garden worker in Assam gets an average wages of `400 per week after deductions for Provident Fund, electricity and other facilities, a four-member family of worker is also entitled to a weekly ration of 32 kg of rice and wheat at 50 paisa per kg.
“Since the Centre has decided to stop the supply of bulk food grains to the gardens, the State Government cannot do anything in this regard. However, the garden management should continue this as the subsidised rations are part of the workers’ wage,” the Assam Food and Civil Supplies Minister said.