Guwahati: Alarmed at the opponent BJP’s overtures to strike roots among the tea tribe community in Assam, the ruling Congress has geared up all its units and allies among the tea tribe community to retain its traditional bastion among the community that has supported it all the elections held in the state since Independence barring the Lok Sabha election of 2014.
In an attempt to woo tea workers in the state Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday announced that Assam government would constitute a Tea Tribe Commission to facilitate all round development of the tea tribes of the state.
The announcement had come close on the heels of Union HRD minister Smriti Irani’s announcement that 14 Novodayas will be set up in the state especially to facilitate proper education for children of tea workers in the state.
In a tea workers convention at Silchar in South Assam on Friday, Gogoi said, “We want all round development of the tea communities who are living in Assam for decades they have been instrumental in strengthening the composite culture of Assam.”
He further said that the proposed tea tribe commission would address all the key areas of the tea tribe community such as health, nutrition, employment etc.
Gogoi also informed that the Government will also set a separate directorate for the education of the tea tribe community to expedite their educational development and facilitate skill development.
Acknowledging the immense contribution of the tea tribe community for social and economic development of Assam, Gogoi said, “Development of tea tribe will lead to a developed Assam and it is the foremost duty of the Government bolster their development”.
He further informed that a fixed wage structure for the tea workers which will be higher than the existing wage, would be put in place soon as all the formalities in this regard had been completed.
As on date tea workers’ wages are revised after every two years through bi-partite agreement between the tea planters and tea workers unions.
Gogoi announced, “Assam government is all set to formulate a policy called Bagan Ghar to ensure housing to all tea workers”.
He also underlined the need of bringing ‘Tea’ to the State List from the Union List. The last Lok Sabha elections BJP candidates from tea tribe communities – Rameswar Teli and Kamakhya Prasad Tasa—were elected from prestigious Dibrugarh and Jorhat parliamentary constituencies respectively defeating their veteran Congress rivals Paban Singh Ghatowar and Late Bijoy Krishna Handique.
