Summary

SAI India conducted a performance audit of the implementation of schemes for welfare of tea tribes in Assam. The tea workers in Assam have faced poor social and economic conditions. Their low income and lack of education have been major barriers to their overall development. The audit shows that initiatives to address these issues were implemented haphazardly and without basic socio-economic data. Overall, the implementation of labour laws and worker welfare provisions in tea estates showed several shortcomings and areas of concern. According to the auditors, many workers were unaware of the Tea Tribes Welfare Department of the Assam Government and its activities, indicating a failure to reach its intended beneficiaries. Moreover, there was a lack of internal control, monitoring, and assessment of the impact of the relevant schemes. The implementation of relevant federal legislation in tea estates was found to be deficient. In terms of healthcare, not all tea estates had garden hospitals, and the ones that did, suffer from lack of infrastructure and manpower. In the education sector, inadequate infrastructure, shortage of teachers, and absence of free uniforms for children were major issues, leading to a decreasing trend in student enrolment. Housing facilities for tea workers were inadequate, with poorly maintained houses, lack of proper drinking water, sanitation, and basic amenities in labour houses/lines. Regarding the Minimum Wage Act, the Assam Government's intervention in fixing minimum wages for tea workers was deemed insufficient by the auditors. The practice of partially paying wages in kind continued, and ‘in-kind’ benefits were not confirmed to determine the cash value of wages. Furthermore, provisions for ration/firewood or compensation in lieu were deficient or absent in some tea estates.