Cabinet approves Amendments to Plantation Labour Act

New Delhi, Aug 29 (UNI) With a view to improving the living conditions, health and safety aspects of plantation workers, the Cabinet today gave its approval for introduction of the Plantation Labour (Amendment) Bill 2008 in Parliament for making amendments in the Plantation Labour Act.

The Bill will come up in the next session of Parliament beggining on October 17, 2008.

Briefing newspersons on the Cabinet meeting, Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal told newspersons here that the government was taking a fresh look at the entire plantation sector in view of its growing international competitiveness. It is facing competition from countries like Kenya, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

Mr Sibal said the amendments will introduce provisions ensuring that no child is allowed to work in the plantation sector, which Mr Sibal said was a revolutionary step.

He said an entire new Chapter 4A is to be brought into the fold of the amendments which will ensure safety aspects of workers employed in the plantation sector.

The Amendments will entail a new definition of workers, both with regard to male and female workers.

It will also involve enhancing the wages in the workers in the sector.

The improvements in the working conditions will involve both the workers and their families. For this, separate amendments will be introduced.

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