Rs 100 cr bonus for bidi leaf pluckers

Bhopal, May 16(UNI) About 14 lakh tendu (bidi) leaf pluckers in Madhya Pradesh will be given bonus of Rs 100 crore for 2007 and it will be distributed in June-July this year.

Besides wages, bonus is distributed to the tendu leaf pluckers from the profit earned in the sale of tendu leaves through the Madhya Pradesh Minor Forest Produces Cooperative Federation.

Madhya Pradesh is the biggest producer of tendu leaves used in the manufacture of bidi. This year, the leaf pluckers would be given remuneration at the rate of Rs 550 per standard bag of tendu leaves, official sources said today.

The government is planning to provide one pair of shoes and an umbrella to each tendu leaf plucker to save them from drenching and free them from the burden of walking barefoot.

Others and other forest dwellers earn their livelihood by collecting tendu leaves and other minor forest produces.

UNI SP 1136