Supreme Court Orders Assam to Pay Rs 70 Crore to Assam Tea Corporation Workers

The Supreme Court has directed the Assam government to pay Rs 70 crore in two installments of Rs 35 crore each to the financially struggling Assam Tea Corporation Ltd. (ATCL) to settle overdue payments to its workers. The first installment is due by June 30, 2024, and the second by June 30, 2026. The court clarified that the funds will be disbursed on a pro-rata basis to the workers. This decision comes after a long-running legal dispute over unpaid wages and pensions for ATCL employees, initially filed in 2006. The state government had previously committed to paying the amount in two installments.