Assam government directs payment of Puja bonus to tea workers by Sept 10

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Assam government has instructed payment of Durga Puja bonus to tea workers latest by September 10, well ahead of the festival. The direction was issued to all tea associations of Assam to be conveyed to tea garden managements. A separate letter on the subject was also issued to all district commissioners.

This year, the rituals related to the Durga Puja are scheduled to begin on September 28.

The letter on payment of bonus to the tea garden workers was issued by the state’s Labour Welfare Department. It says, “The payment of bonus has serious implications on the relations between employer and employees in the industrial scenario of Assam and is more so in the state’s plantation sector. Although the statutory bonus is payable to the plantation workers within a period of eight months from the date of closing of the financial year in our state, there is a customary practice of payment of bonus before the Durga Puja festival.

“As the Durga Puja is approaching in the 5th week of September, 2025, it is therefore requested that the Tea Garden Managements finalize their annual balance sheets and work out the quantum of bonus as per provision of law, i.e., the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965, as amended in 2015, well ahead of the Puja.”

Moreover, it is stated that in case of any exigency, the local Labour Welfare Department officials and the district civil & police administration should extend all possible help and co-operation in resolving any issues promptly and suitably.

“The payment of bonus should be completed by 10th September, 2025. Where the bonus/ex-gratia falls short of the maximum ceiling, and if there is a likelihood of trouble, bilateral or tripartite negotiated settlement should be tried suitably depending on the individual issues of the garden/locality,” the letter added.

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