• Pratima Chamling Rai

Abstract Tea Plantation occupies a predominant place in the Darjeeling hills. The industry contributes to the growth of regional as well as the national economy through its high quality standard and exportability. It plays a leading role as a foreign exchange earner and is a source of livelihood to many people i.e. the industry is highly labour intensive. Despite of all this, the problems of plantation workers are often neglected by the authorities undertaking labour policy studies. They are bound by low wages and poor working conditions. These problems are rarely focused by media or discussed at workers’ forums. The trade union movements are inefficient. Hence, it becomes the responsibility of the Government to enact and implement labour laws to maintain the welfare of the workers. This paper examines the problems faced by the workers in terms of wages and working conditions. It further discusses the reasons for the lag between the regulation and application of Labour Policies. The Tea Act of 1953 mandates the Indian Tea Board for the implementation of Plantation Labour Act 1951 in any tea growing areas for monitoring the labour standards. Despite of such steps by the government for the betterment of the workers, the status and work roles of the plantation labour has undergone little or no change. This paper evaluates whether the PLA intended to address the welfare of workers needs a dimension of the structural readjustment within the industry to cope up or needs to be analyzed immediately in protecting the rights of plantation workers by equipping them for work and struggle through new livelihood strategies.

Plantation Workers, Plantation Labour Act, Welfare of Workers, Labour Policies

"Plantation Labour Act 1951and Welfare of the Plantation Workers in Darjeeling Tea Industry", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no.556-566, June 2019, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1908081.pdf

"Plantation Labour Act 1951and Welfare of the Plantation Workers in Darjeeling Tea Industry", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.6, Issue 6, page no. pp556-566, June 2019, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1908081.pdf