Assam Cabinet hikes tea workers’ wages by ₹30 ahead of polls; BJP to launch Jan Ashirwad Yatra Feb 28

Guwahati: The Assam Cabinet has approved a ₹30 hike in the daily wages of tea garden workers across the state ahead of the assembly elections in the state. An increase of the wages of tea garden workers in the state was a stoutly contested issue in 2021 assembly polls.

Following this decision, wages in the Brahmaputra valley will rise to ₹280 and will be ₹258 in the Barak valley. "As an interim measure, the cabinet has decided to increase the wages by ₹30 with effect from April 1," said Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday adding the decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet. "A tripartite meeting was held earlier during the day between the state government, tea garden labour unions and owners on the issue of increasing the wages. As new Labour Codes were implemented by the central government, we will probably have to sit again in the next six months," Sarma said.

He said the final daily wages for the tea garden workers are likely to cross ₹300. The minimum daily wage of tea garden workers was last hiked by ₹18 in October 2023. Assam has more than 10 lakh tea workers in the organised sector, working in about 850 big estates. The state produces roughly 55% of India's tea. The tea belts of Brahmaputra and Barak valley are home to more than 60 lakh people. Tea tribe votes have a major influence in determining the winners in 30-35 seats and have gravitated to the BJP in the 2016 assembly polls.


Meanwhile, the BJP in Assam will hold Jan Ashirwad Yatra (Peoples blessing rally) from February 28.

State BJP President Dilip Saikia said the party would organise the Jan Ashirwad Yatra with the objective of taking its vision, achievements and organisational goals to the people ahead of the forthcoming elections. The first phase of the yatra would be conducted from February 28 to March 9, covering 34 Assembly constituencies across the state. The yatra would be formally inaugurated by Chief Minister Sarma from Gupteshwar Devalaya in the Dhekiajuli constituency, and he is expected to attend public meetings across the yatra. The party said the yatra was planned to travel approximately 70-80 kilometres per day, with an outreach target of nearly one lakh people daily.