Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament that wages for plantation workers must be increased alongside the general minimum wage hike.

While supporting the proposal to raise the national minimum monthly wage from Rs. 21,000 to Rs. 27,000 in December and Rs. 30,000 in January, he criticized the government for failing to deliver its promise of a Rs. 1,700 daily wage for plantation workers—pledge No. 41 in its election manifesto.

Citing provisions from the Wages Boards Ordinance and the Allowances to Plantation Workers Act, Premadasa stressed the legal requirement to set fair wages in all sectors.

Premadasa pointed out that, under Section 20(1) of the Wages Boards Ordinance No. 27 of 1941, minimum wages must be determined for workers in any given industry. He also referenced Section 4 of the Allowances to Plantation Workers Act No. 72 of 1981, which mandates that wages for plantation workers be determined based on Wages Board decisions.

He highlighted the neglect faced by tea, rubber, coconut, and other plantation workers, and urged the government to act on amendments proposed by MPs Mano Ganesan, Radhakrishnan, and Digambaran. (Newswire)

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Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader MP Mano Ganesan has demanded the inclusion of Rs. 2000 as minimum wage for plantation workers in the government’s upcoming budget proposals. 

Addressing the Parliament yesterday, MP Mano Ganesan stated he anticipates a Rs.2000 minimum daily wage for plantation workers, pointing out that they are the most marginalized segment in Sri Lanka.

“Unless and until plantation workers are taken care of, they cannot be considered equal citizens,” he stressed. 

MP Mano Ganesan pointed out that together with him, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake co-sponsored Motions on Plantation workers in the last Parliament. 

Stating that the government may grant relief in cess levy tax on tea exports to Plantation companies, he urged the government to instruct Regional Plantation Companies to pay a minimum wage of Rs. 2000. 

MP Mano Ganesan further called upon the President of the JVP’s Plantation trade union, the All Ceylon Plantation Workers Union Kitnan, who is an NPP MP in the incumbent Parliament, to join hands with Tamil Progressive Alliance on this issue. (Newswire)

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Cabinet approval has been given to the proposal presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to identify areas occupied by Plantation Workers on state-owned plantation lands managed by the State Plantation Corporation and regional plantation companies and to draft legislation to formally designate these areas as new settlement villages.

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), a special discussion in this regard was held at the Presidential Secretariat, yesterday (July 17) under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

All parties had agreed on the proposal to enact the new legislation, the PMD said.

Participating in the discussion, opposition MP Mano Ganesan emphasized the crucial need to secure land rights for current plantation dwellers under this initiative, submitting a corresponding proposal to the President.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe commenting on the matter underscored the government’s ongoing commitment to implementing programs that provide freehold land and housing rights to residents across villages, towns, and plantations.

Furthermore, President Wickremesinghe recommended initiating the legislative process by consulting regional plantation companies and proposed the formation of a committee comprising parliamentarians representing plantation communities and relevant stakeholders to oversee the process.

Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Jeevan Thondaman, State Minister for Education Arvind Kumar, and MPs Mano Ganesan, Palani Thigambaram, Vadivel Suresh, Velu Kumar, M. Rameshwaran, and M. Udayakumar participated in the discussion. (Newswire)

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