Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for a Rs. 400 wage increase for plantation workers and the transfer of uncultivated lands to empower them as small-scale tea estate owners.

MP Premadasa said that the government has proposed to increase the current daily wage of plantation workers from Rs. 1,350 by Rs. 400, split equally between plantation companies and the government. While welcoming the increase, he emphasized that the amount should be higher and that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) believes a greater allocation is necessary.

MP Premadasa acknowledged differing views on how the wage increase should be implemented, but stressed that any financial benefit reaching the plantation community is a positive and just move. 

He pointed out that governments are capable of allocating such funds, citing the UK government’s support for workers in collapsed businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. He argued that strengthening the plantation community should go beyond financial aid, and urged the government to implement a national program that grants them rights to cultivate uncultivated lands and become small-scale tea estate owners.

He made these proposals in Parliament today, after being denied the opportunity to clarify misconceptions surrounding the budget allocations for the plantation sector. MP Premadasa noted that at a time when confusion has arisen over the funds allocated in the budget for plantation workers, he attempted to provide clarity but was not given the chance to do so.

“Currently, 60–70% of plantation land is owned by the state and private companies, yet they contribute only around 30% to national tea production. In contrast, small-scale tea estate owners, who hold about 30% of the land, contribute 60–70% of the country’s tea output,” he said. MP Premadasa argued that transferring uncultivated lands to unemployed youth and plantation workers would grant them land ownership, boost tea production, and significantly impact the national economy.

He stated that he does not oppose the Rs. 400 wage increase, but prefers it to be fully implemented by plantation companies. Additionally, he called for uncultivated lands to be handed over to these workers so they can engage in cultivation and eventually build homes of their own. 

MP Premadasa affirmed that this is the official policy of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and Samagi Jana Sandhanaya, which was presented during both the presidential and parliamentary elections. He urged the public to focus on this valid policy rather than be distracted by other narratives. (Newswire)

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Plantations that do not pay their workers the newly stipulated minimum wage of Rs. 1700 will be reacquired by the government, Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara said.

The Minister made these comments while addressing an event held in Elpitiya on Sunday.

The government’s decision to raise the wages of plantation workers must be implemented by all plantation employers from next month, the Minister said.

Acknowledging that tea smallholders are already paying more than the minimum wage to their workers, the Minister said that the wage issue remains with local plantation companies that have been transferred to the private sector from the government.

The Minister said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has made the decision in the Cabinet to prepare a bill to take over the estate companies that do not implement the minimum wage. (Newswire)

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