Parliament Question: Wage payments in PSUs-administered tea gardens

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 845 ANSWERED ON 06/02/2026 WAGE PAYMENTS IN PSUs-ADMINISTERED TEA GARDENS 845. MS. SUSHMITA DEV Will the Minister of COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY be pleased to state: (a) the total number of tea gardens and workers employed, administered or managed by Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in Assam and other North-Eastern States, PSU-wise and State-wise; (b) whether there are any pending or unpaid wages, arrears or statutory dues to workers in these tea gardens and the amount pending, State-wise; (c) whether Government has taken cognisance of delays or irregularities in wage payments in PSU-managed tea gardens and the action taken thereon; and (d) whether there exists any disparity in wages, benefits or working conditions between workers employed in PSU-administered tea gardens and privately owned tea gardens, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA) (a) The details of number of tea gardens and workers employed, administered or managed by Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in Assam and other North-Eastern States are attached as Annexure-I. (b) to (d) The matters pertaining to the payment of wages to the tea garden workers, fixing of their wages and their working conditions come under the purview of the respective State Governments. The method of deciding wages differs from State to State. Tea Board, through its 'Tea Development & Promotion Scheme (TDPS)’, undertakes several activities for the welfare of tea workers throughout the country, including in the state of Assam and North Eastern region, as below: i. Health awareness camps for workers ii. Educational support and award for meritorious students (for Class X and XII) to the wards of big tea garden workers and small tea growers (upto 1.00 ha) iii. Book and uniform grants to wards of workers of closed tea estates and big tea estates affected by natural calamities iv. Assistance for disabled and critically ill dependents of workers (kidney, heart, liver diseases and cancer) in closed tea gardens 1In addition, the ‘Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Protsahan Yojana (PMCSPY)’, that aims at uplifting the quality of life of tea garden workers, especially women and their children in the states of Assam and West Bengal, was approved by the Government with a total outlay of Rs. 999 Crores for the period 2024-25 to 2025-26 and extended for one year. Under the scheme, a State Level Committee (SLC) was required to be formed by the State Governments, which inter alia had to propose the component wise interventions to be made under the scheme in the State and also the sub-implementing agencies for the implementation of the interventions under PMCSPY. While the SLC was formed by the State Government of Assam and implementation of the scheme is in progress in the State of Assam, no intimation has been received so far from the State Government of West Bengal regarding the constitution of the SLC for PMCSPY. ***** 2Annexure-I Annexure referred to in reply to Part (a) of Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 845 for answer on 06.02.2026. S.No Public Sector Undertakings State Number of tea Number of workers gardens employed 1 Assam Tea Corporation Limited Assam 11 14737 2 Andrew Yule & Company Ltd Assam 10 7310 3 Tripura Tea Development Tripura 3 476 Corporation Limited 4 Temi Tea estate Sikkim 1 413 ***** 3