Tarun Gogoi

Guwahati, Oct. 2: In a clear bid to woo the tea tribe voters ahead of next year?s Assembly elections, the Tarun Gogoi government today kick-started the process of implementation of the Assam Gratuity Act.

Dispur sought to impart a new momentum to the act, 13 years after it was enacted, by formally ?setting off the process of its implementation?.

The act was enacted by the state government in 1992 so that the tea garden labourers in the state could get gratuity, but it had not been properly implemented till now. Labour minister Rameswar Dhanowar said the state government would start the process of implementing the act from today so that the state?s tea labourers could get the benefits after retirement.

He said it would take another two months before payments are made to the labourers.

?Till now, the act was not implemented properly. Some gardens were paying the gratuity, while some were not. But from now on, it will be properly and uniformly implemented,? he added.

He clarified that the act will not be implemented with retrospective effect. ?It is effective from today,? Dhanowar added.

Speaking at a function where the process was ?inaugurated?, chief minister Tarun Gogoi said eight lakh tea garden labourers in the state would benefit from the proper implementation of the legislation.

?From now onwards, every tea garden labourer will get his or her gratuity soon after retirement,? Gogoi added.

He said the government would ensure that the act was implemented in letter and spirit.

?Only enacting laws and introducing welfare schemes will not do. We have to implement them properly,? Gogoi said.

The chief minister said his government was emphasising improvement of the quality of tea produced in the states and the welfare of the tea labourers.

He added that his government has introduced several schemes to ensure that the tea tribes benefit.

Keeping in mind the fact that the populations of the tea tribes and ex-tea tribes were constantly growing, the government has taken steps to create job opportunities for the communities outside the tea sectors, the chief minister added.

Gogoi also mentioned that his government was placing priority on providing better education and healthcare facilities for ensuring the socio-economic growth of the community.

The Congress government has, of late, announced several welfare schemes for teachers, government employees, farmers and tea labourers with an eye on the Assembly elections.