Union Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman today met tea garden workers and assured them that their problems would be sorted out in cooperation with the state government.
Responding to workers' demand for hiking of minimum daily wage from the current Rs 122 to Rs 250, the minister, accompanied by mediapersons, said she would raise the issue with the state government.
To her proposal of receiving money in their bank accounts instead of ration, the workers' opinion was divided.
The minister yesterday had met workers of two closed tea gardens in Alipurduar district.
23 tea gardens are remaining closed in Darjeeling, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts.
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Later at a meeting in Siliguri attended by state minister Partha Chatterjee and representatives of closed tea gardens, Sitharaman directed the Tea Board to set up a committee to look into the various conditions of the tea gardens.
The panel will check if there is wage problem in any tea garden and if it finds out one, it has to be reported to the Centre, Sitharaman said.
The committee will also report to the Centre if it finds out that problems being faced by the workers of open tea gardens may lead to closure.
Based on the report of the committee, the Centre and the state government will jointly try to solve the problems, she said.
The Union minister said she has received complaints that workers were not properly receiving the benefits extended by the state government to them.
She said the wage problem would be solved and the minimum daily wage will be fixed in consultation with the state government.
Education Minister Partha Chatterjee, who represented the state government in the meeting, said all problems will be solved if the Centre extends its helping hand to the state.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently announced a package of Rs 100 crore for the tea gardens, he said.
Meanwhile, Duncan representative said in the meeting that their 16 closed tea gardens would be reopened soon.
