“Drastic retention strategy needed to woo young workers for plantation sector”
“As of today plantation workers within the age limit of 20 to 30 remain at a very low level in contrast to ageing workers. Five regional estate companies under scrutiny from our ministry have 9.3 percent, 4.4 percent, 6.5 percent, 3.8 percent and 6.3 percent employees between the above age limit.
The percentages of workers in the respective companies between the age limit of 41 to 60 are 60,73,66, 87 and 87. This clearly indicates the reluctance of young people to be plantation workers. Hence we must find means to retain young workers and also absorb new blood to this export oriented sector with a view to enhancing productivity,” said State Plantation Enterprise Reforms Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.
The minister further said the government’s decision to increase wages of plantation workers too is a retention strategy aiming at young workers. He said Elkaduwa Plantation Company functioning under the ministry has already taken steps to pay the increased wages to workers and Janatha Estates Development Board and State Plantations Corporation will follow suit while the majority of small tea holders already pay the increased wages. “We have received the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers to receive an amount of 6.5 billion rupees from the Treasury to pay the outstanding statutory allowances of the State Plantation Corporation and Elkaduwa Plantation Company,” he further stated.
The minister said more steps towards adding value and sustainably developing the plantation economy are in the pipeline. “A comprehensive study is being carried out taking into account age analysis of plantation workers, environmental factors, trends within the last 10 years, re-planting potential of estates, annual reports of plantation companies and welfare of workers to determine productivity achieved by existing companies.
Commercial Plantation Management authority once established will appoint a technical committee to identify declining estates and seek for new investors to revamp them. If the increased wages are not paid due to internal issues the government will take steps to cancel the lease agreements with respective companies and reassign those to new investors,” he said.
The Non cabinet Ministry of State Plantation Enterprise Reforms website www.msper.lk was launched with the mission statement; Introduce reforms that increase productivity of state plantation lands, ensure sustainable use of both agricultural and non-agricultural resources available in such lands, and enhance socioeconomic development of the human resources employed in the sector.
The post “Drastic retention strategy needed to woo young workers for plantation sector” appeared first on DailyNews.