State hikes wages, to extend PF & gratuity benefits post-retirement

The new employees of the jute mills across the state will be entitled to a salary of Rs 14,066 per month with Rs 3562 hike in their monthly wages.

MP, 4 Jan 2024, Kolkata: In a bid to improve the financial conditions of the 2.5 lakh odd jute mill workers across the state, the Labour department has decided to increase their wages and promised provident fund and gratuity benefits post-retirement. 

The new employees of the jute mills across the state will be entitled to a salary of Rs 14,066 per month with Rs 3562 hike in their monthly wages. The mill authorities will have to pay an additional CTC of Rs 4550 per month to the new recruits. The total monthly salary of the oldest workers will increase by Rs 553 per month with the current total monthly salary going up from Rs 16,718 to Rs 17,271 per month. 

“We have signed a historic agreement to improve the financial condition of the jute mill employees which will include certain benefits. All the 23 trade unions that function in association with the mills have signed this agreement. It is for the first time when the jute mill workers have been divided into four categories based on their expertise in work- unskilled, semi -skilled, skilled and highly skilled. 

They will be getting extra allowance per month as per their category which will be a maximum of Rs 450 per month. The existing jute mill workers will have an adhoc increase in salary of at least Rs 130 per month,” said Moloy Ghatak, state Labour minister. 

The department has also taken a significant stride when it comes to ensuring provident fund (PF) to the workers immediately after retirement. The provident fund in many of the jute mills were disbursed through trustee boards and the latter were often responsible for inordinate delay in payment of PF. 

Now, the PF will be provided directly by the government and immediately after retirement. The gratuity of the workers has been linked with LIC (Life Insurance Corporation of India) so they can receive it after retirement,” the minister added. 

Ghatak said that the agreement has also allowed special transfers for the workers who have completed 15 years of service. After completion of 20 years, workers will be deemed as permanent employees. 

This is expected to benefit a maximum of the jute mill employees. INTTUC state president Ritabrata Banerjee alleged that the Central government is deliberately placing fewer orders for jute bags in an attempt to promote the synthetic lobby. More than 40 lakh farmers are associated with jute cultivation in the state. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/state-hikes-wages-to-extend-pf-gratuity-benefits-post-retirement-546926