Assam asks Deputy Commissioners to ensure tea garden workers are paid wages

GUWAHATI: Assam government has sent SOS to Deputy Commissioner (DC) and Superintendent of police in districts to ensure that wages are paid to tea garden workers and negotiation takes places for settlement of wages issues.

Following demonization of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 notes, Confusion prevails across the tea estates for wage payment as tea garden management are clueless as how to manage cash for the payment of wages.

The wage bill which run in several crores or rupees are paid to workers weekly or fortnightly.

Assam chief secretary, V K Pipersenia told ET, “Tea garden management has approached us and we have asked the DCs to ensure that wages are paid and there is no breach of law and order due to non-payment of wages.”

He said, “We have asked DCs to ensure that wages are paid. DCs are asked to talk to workers together with tea garden management and if possible payment must be made in cheques, partial cash and workers must be assured that their money is not going anywhere and it is only for couple of days that this problem is there. We are trying out different ways.”

Wages is volatile subject in tea estates of the state. Secretary of Tea Association of India, Guwahati, Dipanjal Deka told ET, “We have written to labour commissioner to sensitize administration for cash payments have to made to workers weekly. We have sought relaxation from Reserve Bank of India.”

He said, “We are confused presently for state government directive is not clear. Non-payment of wages will volatile situation.”

There are over 10 lakh labourers engaged in the tea industry of the Assam. Assam has over 850 big tea estates besides lakhs of small tea growers.

Assam government in a statement stated with the legal tender character of the old high denominations currency notes of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 in respect of all receipts and payments, the revenue collection departments like Taxation, Transport, Excise, Forest, etc are unable to accept such old high denominations currency notes.

The finance department has requested all Revenue collection departments to collect Revenue through online payment system and also through the Bank Draft, Cheque and other Bank instruments where online payment is not available.