Colombo, January 14 (newsin.asia) Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has accepted the plantation workers’ long-standing demand that they should be paid a minimum wage of Sri Lankan Rupees 1000 per day.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the Presidents Media Division said that the minimum daily wage of estate workers will Rs. 1000.00 with effect from 1st March this year.
The announcement comes a day before ‘Thai Pongal’ which is a major festival for all Tamils, including estate workers, who are all Tamils of Indian origin brought to Sri Lanka by the British in the 19 th. Century when they began to grow coffee, tea and rubber.
President Gotabaya has also decided to take swift measures to develop the plantation sector including their infrastructure.
He has already taken several initiatives such as tax exemption, fertilizer subsidy to increase the quality of this vital sector. The President emphasized that these benefits should be passed onto the workers.
The President further said that the objective of the government is to give opportunities to the workers to enjoy the benefits flowing form growth in the manufacturing and industrial sectors.
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