Assam Begins First Phase of Land Rights and Wage Revision for Tea Garden Workers

The Assam government has initiated the first phase of granting land rights to tea garden workers across 103 estates under the Assam Fixation of Ceiling on Land Holdings (Amendment) Act, 2025, aiming to provide land titles exempt from plantation ceiling limits. Alongside, wages for tea laborers will increase from January 1, 2026. A recent meeting chaired by Labour Minister Rupesh Gowala discussed these plans, with industry representatives raising concerns over statutory obligations like housing and amenities, which the government acknowledged but did not commit to altering. The second phase is planned after May 2026.