SC directs Assam Govt to pay Rs 70 crore to settle tea workers' dues
Guwahati: The Supreme Court has ordered the Assam government to pay Rs 70 crore in two equal instalments to Assam Tea Corporation Ltd (ATCL) to settle the long-overdue dues of its workers.
The first instalment of Rs 35 crore is due by June 30, while the second instalment must be deposited by June 30, 2026.
The court clarified that the amount should be distributed to the workers on a pro-rata basis once the funds are deposited with ATCL.
The Assam government had proposed this arrangement in December 2023, and the court has approved it.
This development comes after a long-standing legal battle over non-payment of wages and pensionary benefits to ATCL employees.
A 2020 committee estimated that the workers' dues amounted to Rs 414.73 crore, with an additional Rs 230 crore owed towards provident funds.
The Supreme Court had previously directed the payment of approximately Rs 650 crore to 28,556 workers across 25 tea gardens, including 15 owned by ATCL.
The court has also suggested that the sale of the 14 tea estates might be considered to settle the workers' dues.