Tea Garden Workers' Wages See Rs 30 Hike Ahead of Assam Elections

The Assam government's decision to increase daily wages for tea garden workers by Rs 30 comes as a strategic move prior to the upcoming assembly elections. The revised wages will be Rs 280 in the Brahmaputra valley and Rs 258 in the Barak valley.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced this at a press conference, attributing the raise to a cabinet meeting decision. This adjustment follows the last wage hike of Rs 18 in October 2023. The wage hike is seen as an interim measure with further adjustments expected within six months.

Alongside this wage increase, the Assam cabinet has also reduced Value Added Tax on Aviation Turbine Fuel by 5 percent, aligning the ATF prices in Kolkata and Guwahati. Additionally, a Rs 9,000 payout for beneficiaries of the 'Orunodoi' scheme will be released on March 10.