Assam to set up committee for labour laws & rules: Minister

The Assam government today said it will form a committee headed by a retired high court judge to study and recommend state-specific amendments in the existing labour laws and rules to benefit the tea tribes.

Tea Tribes Welfare Minister Pallab Lochan Das said in Assam Assembly that the committee would be headed by a retired high court judge.

He informed the House that an uniform minimum wage rate for all tea garden workers of Barak and Brahmaputra valleys will be notified soon to end the disparity in existing wages in the two valleys.

"For easy accessibility of education in tea garden areas it has been decided to set up 100 high schools in tea gardens across the state," Das said.

To ensure social security to the family members of tea garden workers, it has been decided to initiate life insurance coverage plan under Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY) and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) for accidental insurance, he added.

Stating that individual metering and billing of tea garden labour quarters is one of the chronic problems among the workers, he said the work of individual metering has already been initiated by our government and it is targeted that individual billing of all tea garden quarters of the state will be completed within this year.

To promote energy efficiency, the government has decided to distribute four LED bulbs to all households of tea garden workers, he added.

The minister informed the House that the government is taking various measures for the development of the tea tribe community like setting up of sports academies, constructing statues of community leaders, organising book fairs specifically for the community and providing scholarships to students among others.