To, Chiefminister@Assam.

1. Tea garden labour community of Assam represents around 20% of total population of the state accounting more than 45 lakhs tea garden labour population in the state. About 17% of workers in Assam are engaged in tea industry and around 50% of the total tea plantation workforce in Assam is women. The tea-workers of Assam have been deprived from being brought under the purview of Minimum Wage Act and are presently getting meager Rs. 95/- in Barak Valley and Rs.125/- in Brahmaputra Valley of Assam as wage in cash for each working day only. There is no weekly holiday wage for tea workers.
2. A calculation done on the basis of the guidelines of ILC and Supreme Court and considering the present CPI shows that the minimum wage of Assam tea-workers should be to the tune of approximately Rs. 420/-.
3. In the meeting convened last year in Guwahati at the behest of Ms. Nirmala Sitaraman, the honourable central cabinet minister of commerce, to discuss the plight of tea workers vis-à-vis industry with all stake holders including the tea-workers’ union, Asom Mojuri Shramik Union representative raised the question of deprivation of tea-workers from their legitimate right of getting minimum wage and she opined that tea-workers should get minimum wage. Recently after lot of maneuvering and movement of tea-workers, the minimum wage of Assam tea workers has been fixed at Rs 177.19 vide notification no. GLR (RC) 178/2014/179-A dated 29th July, 2015, issued by the Govt of Assam. After deductions of wages being paid by the employers in other forms, the minimum wage in cash becomes Rs.143.50 as per the calculation shown in the said notification. But this notification has not yet been implemented. Due to the dillydallying tactics of the implementing authority, the tea-garden owners' association got the opportunity to approach the court for stay order.
4. The party in power in Assam today made an electoral promise to implement minimum wage criterion for Assam tea-workers. But till date, no initiative has been taken and no affidavit has been filed to vacate the unjustified claim of the tea-garden owners for implementation of above notification on minimum wage.
5. One can imagine the pathetic living condition of families of Assam tea-workers who earn meager Rs.95/- or Rs.125/- as daily wage.

We, therefore, urge upon the Government of Assam to take immediate needful measure to implement the above-mentioned wage notification and also to raise the minimum wage to the desired level taking the wage of tea-workers in South India into cognizance.