WB Labour Dept urges North Bengal tea gardens to pay 20% Durga Puja bonus by Sept 15

The West Bengal labor department has recommended that tea garden owners in North Bengal provide workers with a 20% bonus at least one month before Durga Puja. The advisory covers gardens in Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Kurseong, Dooars, and Terai regions, with a suggested payment deadline of September 15.

Partha Biswas, Additional Labor Commissioner of the North Bengal zone, confirmed that the government issued a formal consultation notification to advise garden owners on timely bonus disbursement. The recommendation follows a demand from the Joint Forum of Tea Workers’ Organizations for pre-Puja bonus payments.

The Consultative Committee of Planters’ Associations announced a virtual meeting on August 28, followed by another meeting in Kolkata on September 6-7. All workers’ organizations have been invited to participate. The government’s advance recommendation is expected to guide discussions during these meetings.

Tea workers’ leader Krishna Sen stated, “We are satisfied with the government’s 20% bonus recommendation. We have consistently demanded that workers receive the bonus before Puja. Earlier meetings during the festival caused delays and financial strain. Now we can pressurize owners for timely payments.”

Amritanshu Chakraborty of the owners’ association said, “We have not yet received any official notification from the government. We will respond only after reviewing the document.” Workers’ organizations have highlighted that last-minute bonus meetings in previous years caused delays, sometimes resulting in payments after Durga Puja. The government’s early recommendation aims to prevent such delays and ensure workers receive timely financial support.