The Assam government has announced a Rs 30 increase in the daily wages of tea garden workers, with the revised rates set to take effect from April 1, according to an official notification issued on March 7. The wage revision will apply to workers employed in both estate tea gardens and small tea gardens across the state, which is the largest tea-producing region in the country.
The notification stated that the decision was taken following the recommendation of the Minimum Wages Advisory Board during its meeting held on February 26. It said the Governor of Assam approved an interim increase of Rs 30 in the minimum wages of tea plantation workers.
With the revised rates, workers in the Brahmaputra Valley will receive Rs 280 per day, up from the existing Rs 250. In the Barak Valley, the daily wage will increase from Rs 228 to Rs 258. The notification also clarified that the wage hike will apply to workers employed in small tea gardens in both regions.
The previous revision of tea garden workers’ wages in the state took place in October 2023, when the daily wages were increased by Rs 18.
The latest wage hike was approved by the state Cabinet on February 26 after a tripartite meeting involving the state government, tea garden labour unions and tea garden owners to discuss the revision.
Following the Cabinet decision, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that wages may be revised again in the coming months as the new labour reforms introduced by the Centre are implemented. He indicated that further discussions among stakeholders could take place within the next six months and suggested that the final daily wage for tea garden workers may eventually cross Rs 300.
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