Guwahati, March 10 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said the BJP-led government in the state has increased the wages of tea garden workers by more than 40 per cent since 2021, accusing previous Congress governments of neglecting the community for decades.

In a post on social media platform X, Sarma said the state government has been working to improve the socio-economic conditions of tea garden labourers, popularly known as “Cha Shramiks”, through higher wages and other welfare measures.

“The difference is clear. While the BJP government has hiked the wages of Cha Shramiks by over 40 per cent since 2021, Congress governments used them merely as a vote bank for decades,” Sarma wrote.

Highlighting the latest wage revision, the Chief Minister said the daily wages of tea garden workers have been increased by Rs 30.

According to the revised rates, tea garden workers in the Brahmaputra Valley will now receive a daily wage of Rs 280, while workers in the Barak Valley will receive Rs 258 per day.

Sarma said the wage hike is part of the government’s efforts to honour the contribution of tea garden workers, whom he described as the “backbone” of Assam’s tea industry.

“Honouring Assam’s backbone, the Cha Shramiks, the government has increased their daily wages and continues to recognise their hard work,” he said.

Apart from wage hikes, Sarma said the government has also initiated steps to address long-standing issues affecting tea garden communities.

He stated that the state government has taken measures to improve the livelihoods of tea garden workers by granting land rights, providing reservation benefits and implementing several welfare schemes aimed at improving living conditions in tea garden areas.

The Chief Minister added that these initiatives are aimed at correcting what he termed a “historical injustice” faced by the tea garden community.

Assam has a large population of tea garden workers employed in the state’s extensive tea industry, which plays a key role in the economy and provides livelihoods to lakhs of people across several districts.

–IANS

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