Special welfare measures for children of closed tea garden workers

Manjumala (Idukki, Kerala), May 31 (UNI) In special welfare measures for the children of the closed tea garden workers in Kerala, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh today announced free uniforms and accessories and also aid for those gaining admission into professional colleges.

Addressing a gathering of tea garden workers, trade union leaders and others at the formal reopening of four closed tea gardens of the RBT Group here, Mr Ramesh said the Tea Board would spend about Rs 60 lakh to provide one pair of uniform, shoes and an umbrella for the children of the closed tea garden workers.

''We will like to see that the children do not suffer on account of the sickness in the plantation sector,'' Mr Ramesh said.

The Centre would also examine how it can help the children of tea garden workers who gain admission into professional courses like nursing, engineering and journalism, he added.

The union minister lauded the Kerala government in taking the lead in reopening the closed tea gardens in the country. While West Bengal had been able to reopen only one of the 14 closed tea gardens in the past few months, Kerala had reopened five. Three more were scheduled to be reopened on June 11, he said.

UNI