Tea gardens in the Dooars and Terai regions of north Bengal have agreed to pay a bonus of 19% for the 2022-23 fiscal year, compared to 20% in the previous year. However, the issue of bonus payment for Darjeeling tea gardens is still unresolved, with unions demanding 20% and managements offering 8.33%. There are approximately 135 tea gardens operating in north Bengal, excluding Darjeeling.
Chinmoy Dhar, the chairman of the Dooars branch of the Tea Association of India, said: 'It is unfortunate that the Dalgaon management decided on their own. Their decision would mount pressure on us and affect the bargaining power of the planters during the talks'
On Monday, the Tea Board issued a letter to the auction centres and stakeholders, saying that at a meeting held with Union commerce minister Piyush Goyal with the stakeholders on September 22, in Delhi, 'instruction was passed to bring in practices of the erstwhile English Auction model'
The State Government has asked all tea associations in the state to clear the payment of bonuses to all tea workers by October 5, before the Durga Puja.
Stakeholders in the Assam tea industry have discussed the fixation of minimum wages in tea gardens in a scientific manner, in line with international labour standards. The Assam government has committed to setting minimum wages scientifically and with the support of the International Labour Organization (ILO).