Overview of the status of implementation of Plantation Labour Act, 1951 across the tea growing states of India NAME OF THE STATE :- TRIPURA NAME AND DESIGNATION OF THE PRESENTER :- SHRI SWAPAN KR. DAS, ADDL. SECRETARY & LABOUR COMMISSIONER, GOVERNMENT OF TRIPURA

Data Number of districts under tea plantation Presently Tripura has 8(Eight) Districts and out of 8 (Eight) Districts, 7(Seven) Districts are covered under the Tea Plantation namely, in 1) North District 2) Unakoti District 3) Dhalai District 4) Khowai District 5) West District 6) Sepahijala District & 7) South District. Number of tea gardens At present there are 52 (Fifty two) Tea gardens in 7(Seven) Districts. Area (in hectares) under tea plantation Total area covered under Tea Plantation is 14,000.50 hectares. Production of tea (in tonnes) annually 20,50,48,000 Kg (2,05,048 tonns) for the financial year 2015-16. Percentage of total population of the State dependant on tea plantations for livelihood 0.52 % of the total population of Tripura State are dependent on Tea Plantation for livelihood.

Data Number of permanent labourers 8713 permanent labourers are there during financial year 2015-16. Number of temporary labourers 5211 temporary labourers are there during financial year 2015-16. Number of adult workers 13924 adult workers are there during financial year 2015-16. Number of adolescent workers No adolescent worker is employed in the tea plantations of Tripura. Number of children living in the plantations 5103 children are living with their parents in 52 tea gardens. Average wages of plantation workers Rs.83/- (Rupees Eighty Three) per day for plucking of 20 Kg green leaves (Ration is also given @ the ratio of 40 : 60 (Rice and Atta) to the adult workers which is 3.266 kg per week and ration @ the ratio of 40: 60 is also given to non- adults which is 2.333 Kg per week). It includes supply of rice and atta at subsidized rate of rice @ Rs. 0.62 and atta @ Rs. 0.54 per Kg.

Major Child Rights concerns in tea gardens Health and healthcare : All the medical facilities are provided to the dependent children of tea plantation workers by the management. ASHA Workers, Anganwadi Workers and Multi Purpose Workers are also working in the tea plantations. The children of the tea plantation workers are also covered under the National Health Mission (NHM). Immunization and periodic health checkups of the children in the tea plantations are also done. Moreover, government medical facilities are also extended. Sanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes as well as the treatment and proper disposal of sewage. Sufficient toilets and urinals have been made inside the plantations for usage by the garden residents. Various water plants have been created for wholesome drinking water by the management and the DWS, Government of Tripura. The Labour Department, being a stake holding machinery looks and monitors the health and healthcare facilities.

Major Child Rights concerns in tea gardens Education Anganwadi Centres which are run under ICDS are there in every tea plantations to provide nutritional and health status with pre-primary education to children below the age of six years. Free and compulsory education facilities are given to the children between the ages 6 to 14 years living in the tea plantations under the Right to Education Act, 2009. The centres are visited by the Labour Department’s machinery as welfare. Concerns of the girl child. Various schemes have been initiated by the Government of India towards change of attitudes against girl child and also to increase enrolment and retention of girls in schools and these schemes are running properly in Tripura e.g. Beti Padhao Beti Bachao, Balika Samridhhi Yojana, Kishori Shakti Yojana.

Major Child Rights concerns in tea gardens Protection concerns The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act) 2012 was formulated in order to effectively address sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children. No such incident of child sexual abuse has been reported in the plantations in Tripura. Any other concern(s). No child is affected by HIV/ AIDS in the plantations of Tripura. No death case regarding starvation has ever been recorded in the plantations of Tripura. No child has ever been trafficked to outside of plantations in Tripura. More awareness camps shall be conducted on social, legal and environmental issues etc. in the plantations. Awareness for neat and clean environment, improvement of hygiene and health in the plantations may be initiated in the form of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Key challenges faced in the enforcement of Plantation Labour Act, 1951 The management usually pay cash value of ration instead of wages in kind to the workers because maximum tea gardens are sick in nature. The amount of gratuity is not been paid to the retired workers at the time of retirement at a time. The employers usually pay gratuity amount on weekly basis i.e. instalment system. The workers are also reluctant to receive the amount of gratuity at a time because they are living in the garden even after retirement. Several awareness camps have already been organized in the tea plantations of Tripura for protection of child rights. Although, several awareness camps have been organized in the different tea plantations regarding child rights still there are dropout cases have been recorded.

Any Good practices employed in your State in the process of tackling these challenges Regular payment of salary to the workers is made. No irregularities are found. The State Government has fixed the rates of wages by convening tripartite meeting in every two years. The State Government has started educational facilities for the children of the workers in every tea garden by opening ICDS centres, primary and secondary schools. Provision of housing accommodations as per tripartite agreement is extended to the workers and their families. Worker’s training programmes are generally organized to make the workers aware about their legitimate benefits.

Workers are plucking green leaves in the tea garden.

Supply water facility provided to the workers LPG connection given to the workers

Housing & Electrification facility Provided to the workers. Sanitary latrine provided to the workers