Cong MP demands Rs 351/day wage for Assam tea garden workers

A Rajya Sabha Congress MP on Wednesday demanded that tea garden workers in Assam should be paid a minimum daily wage of Rs 351 as the cost of living was increasing.

Raising the matter during the Zero Hour in the House, Ripun Bora said tea garden workers are currently paid only Rs 160 a day, which is meagre when the cost of living is high.

He said the state government under the Congress had recommended a Rs 351 per day wage for them, but no action has been taken on it by the BJP government there which assumed power three years ago.

He suggested if the Assam government was facing financial constraint in raising wages, the central government should provide a special package to it.

Bora demanded that the daily wage of about 40 lakh tea- garden labourers in Assam should be raised to Rs 351.

Meanwhile, Harnath Singh Yadav (BJP) raised the issue of adulterated milk in the country and its impact on the health of the 130 crore citizens.

Yadav suggested people engaged in such activities should be punished with life imprisonment or even death.

TMC MP Abir Ranjan spoke about the various aspects of the amended motor vehicle act.

In his mention, BJP MP Satyanarayan Jaitya demanded that government's flagship health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat should be extended to all private hospitals and cover every illness.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, who had to adjourn House proceedings during morning session on several occasions in the past due to disruptions, congratulated members today for the "wonderful" functioning of the Zero Hour.

Except for a walkout by Congress MP B K Hariprasad after Chairman Naidu cut short his speech as he raised the issue of floods in North Karnataka, the House functioned smoothly.