Assam Government buckles under pressure of Rahul Gandhi announcement increases Wages of Tea Workers

After an announcement by Rahul Gandhi of increasing the wages of Tea Workers in Assam if voted to power, the Sonowal Government Increases Tea Workers' Wages.

With close to 10 lakh tea workers and over 60 lakh population of the tea tribe community in the state they are viewed as a major vote bank in Assam and this has triggered the wage revision.

With barely two months to go for the assembly election in Assam, the Sarbananda Sonowal government today decided to increase the daily wages of tea workers from ₹ 167 to ₹ 217.

"For equal wage of small tea workers' one-man committee under Principal Secretary Dr JB Ekka will be formed. Wage of tea workers increased from ₹ 167 to ₹ 217," the state cabinet said in a statement.

With close to 10 lakh tea workers and over 60 lakh population of the tea tribe community, they are a major vote bank in Assam and a determining factor in as many as 35 assembly seats, out of a total 126. Over the years, Assam tea votes have seen a shift from Congress to the BJP.

The wage revision for tea workers has been a major election issue. Only last week, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in his first election meeting in Assam's Sivasagar had promised a daily wage of ₹ 365 if voted to power.

The tea tribe community has been long demanding a daily wage of ₹ 351.

The Congress had alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised to revise the daily wages of tea workers in Assam to ₹ 350 prior to the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.