Coming to the rescue of workers

The Centre's decision to authorise the Tea Board to take over the management of seven tea gardens of Duncan Industries in north Bengal has been criticised by some. The tea gardens had been facing losses and workers had not been paid their wages and other benefits for months. Some workers also died allegedly of malnutrition. Union Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to put the onus of resolving the issue on the Centre. She said the Centre had accepted that and promised to ensure workers were paid soon. Sitharaman had visited the tea gardens a couple of months ago and then accused the Trinamool Congress government of inaction. The Centre seems to be sending a message that it is pro-poor. A senior minister said the government could not be expected to be a mute spectator when workers were not being paid their dues.