'Some laws applying to plantation sector need overhaul'

The Plantation Labour Act and the Minimum Wages Act that apply to the sector are a few of the laws which need overhaul, a top official today said.
The Plantation Labour Act needed to be reviewed to align it with the current practices of development, said Rajani Ranjan Rashmi, Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
He was presiding over the Commodity Outlook Session, organised by the United Planters Association of Southern India, here.
The Ministry would like the Act to be reviewed and rationalised, if not completely abolished and "that is the current thinking of the government too," Rashmi said.

On Minimum Wages act, Rashmi said "It is for the state government to impose the Minimum Wages Act. While I can't fault the state government, I can only say that there has been some lapse in different quarters. Minimum wages have to be paid. We are in dialogue with the Ministry of Labour."
"We have to devise a system that works. This cannot be viewed in isolation, but only in keeping with the current scenario," Rashmi said, when the planters raised the issue of compulsory routing of tea through auction.
The government was planning to allow export of cardamom and formalise the e-auction system in the interest of the trade, to ensure transparency and flexibility of business, Rashmi said.