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The West Bengal government, which is preparing a comprehensive North Bengal Development Policy, among others, will address issues related to the tea workers in the region.
The State Labour Minister, Mr Purnendu Basu, told reporters here on Friday that attempts were also being made to introduce minimum wages for tea workers in North Bengal.
The Minister said significant disparity in wages existed across different tea gardens.
“There has been a demand to introduce a wage board, but I wonder if it is at all a way to find a real solution. Introduction of minimum wages can solve the problem and not a wage board,” Mr Basu said at Writers' Buildings.
He said members of the Defence Committee for Plantation Workers' Rights met him on Friday seeking the labour department's intervention on the issue of “proper wages” for tea workers. The committee also demanded that a wage board be set up.
According to the Minister, tea workers are deprived of bare necessities. The State labour department might be asked to work out the minimum wages, he said.
Maintaining that strikes and lockouts were not a way forward for tea garden workers, Mr Basu said: “I will intervene on behalf of workers and speak with the management, if need be.”
Mr Basu added that attempts would also be made to revive work at the sick Kanoria Jute Mill. The minister will soon meet Mr Prafulla Chakraborty, a union leader of the jute mill.
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