'Minimum wage, patta issues for tea garden workers to be resolved soon'

Darjeeling: Dola Sen, president, INTTUC, has assured that both minimum wages for tea garden workers and the issue of pattas (land documents) for tea garden workers will be resolved soon with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the helm of affairs.

"After Mamata Banerjee came into power in 2011, on September 29 the same year, workers of 23 sectors were brought under the purview of minimum wages by a gazette notification. Similarly, workers in the tea and jute industry will also be included. A committee has been constituted for this and it is working as per WHO guidelines on different components. We are positive that within a year tea garden workers will come under the purview of Minimum Wages Act," stated Sen, talking to media persons on the sidelines of an INTTUC organisational meeting in Darjeeling on Saturday.

Regarding patta, Sen stated that the policy decision has already been taken by the Chief Minister and will be implemented. "This is a concurrent subject and we need consent from the Central government. As soon as the consent is given, pattas will be distributed. INTTUC will also launch a movement to speed up the process," stated Sen.

The president added that the Chief Minister has ensured that the cash component has been hiked from Rs 67.50 to Rs 176 along with other facilities for the tea garden workers.

"Whether the management gives the kind components or not, the Chief Minister has ensured that the workers get ration, electricity, drinking water and also housing schemes, mid-day meal schemes for children have been launched in the tea gardens by different state government departments," added Sen.

Demands are being made to the Union government to amend the Plantation Act so that workers can get medical treatment at the ESI Hospital that is coming up.

The state government has acquired 13 closed tea gardens and workers have been given jobs in different departments.

In the meeting, the proposal to register a Himalayan Tea Workers' Union under the aegis of the INTTUC to work dedicatedly in North Bengal hill tea gardens was floated. Various problems plaguing the tea garden workers were also discussed.