Guwahati

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said the daily wages of tea garden workers in the state may be hiked from March 1 if the ongoing negotiations with stakeholders become fruitful.

During the Motion of Thanks in the governor's address in the assembly, Sarma said Labour Welfare Minister Rupesh Gowala is holding talks with various tea associations.

"Rupesh Gowala is working on it. If possible, we will give good news on hiking the daily wages by March 1," Sarma said.

The minimum daily wage of tea garden workers was last hiked by Rs 18 in October 2023.

In the Brahmaputra valley, the daily wage was increased to Rs 250, while the workers in the Barak valley started getting Rs 228.

In her budget speech on Tuesday, Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog said the state government was in talks with tea associations to increase the minimum daily wage of garden workers from this year.

"The prosperity of our tea industry must flow directly to the hands of our tea garden workers. Therefore, I am pleased to share that we are finalising discussions with tea associations to announce enhanced wages for our tea garden workers within this year," she said while presenting the interim budget for 2026-27.

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The Assam assembly elections for 126 constituencies are likely to take place in March-April this year.

Sarma also said that the government will soon start distributing land pattas to tea garden workers as legal hurdles in the matter have been removed.