The Assam government has hiked the wages of tea garden workers in the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys by Rs 18. Starting 1 October 2023, workers in the Brahmaputra Valley will earn Rs 250 per day instead of the Rs 232 they were earning since 2022. The workers in the Barak valley will earn Rs 228 instead of the earlier Rs 210 per day.
The workers will also get a 20 per cent bonus on the occasion of Durga Puja. That is not all. The tea garden workers and the adivasi population will enjoy a three per cent reservation in government jobs from now on.
These decisions were made at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
In August 2022, the wages of the workers were hiked following Sarma’s suggestion of a system of annual increments in the daily wages of tea garden workers in Assam, instead of increments every three to four years.
Sarma also revealed that students who have studied in government schools from classes 7 to 12, will enjoy five per cent reservation in medical and engineering courses. The move is expected to draw students towards government schools.
One post of magistrate and one of DSP will be reserved in the Assam Public Service Commission recruitment for members of the Moran and Matak communities.
Approval has also been given by the Assam cabinet to The Assam Public Examination (Measure for Prevention of Unfair Means in Recruitment Ordinance).
Additionally, a code of conduct has been approved for the expenditure on cabinet meetings held outside Guwahati.