Guwahati, February 19 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday that the daily wages of tea garden workers in the state may be increased from March 1 if ongoing negotiations with stakeholders prove successful.
During the Motion of Thanks to the governor's address in the assembly, Sarma said that Labour Welfare Minister Rupesh Gowala is holding talks with various tea associations.
"Rupesh Gowala is working on it. If possible, we will announce the increase in daily wages by March 1," Sarma said.
The minimum daily wage for tea garden workers was last increased by Rs 18 in October 2023.
In the Brahmaputra valley, the daily wage was increased to Rs 250, while workers in the Barak valley started receiving Rs 228.
In her budget speech on Tuesday, Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog said that the state government was in talks with tea associations to increase the minimum daily wage of garden workers from this year.
"The prosperity of our tea industry must directly benefit our tea garden workers. Therefore, I am pleased to announce that we are finalizing discussions with tea associations to announce enhanced wages for our tea garden workers within this year," she said while presenting the interim budget for 2026-27.
The Assam assembly elections for 126 constituencies are likely to take place in March-April this year.
Sarma also said that the government will soon start distributing land deeds to tea garden workers as legal hurdles in the matter have been removed.