Sri Lanka’s Minister for Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development Jeevan Thondaman has said that 9 regional plantation companies (RPCs) have agreed to pay the increased daily wage to the plantation workers. Speaking to media persons, Mr. Thondaman said that he was hopeful that all companies would agree to pay the wages which were revised to 1700 lankan rupees in May this year amid resistance from Plantation Companies. The plantation workers, who are Indian Origin Tamils, have claimed that the wages have not increased adequately over the last few years.

Earlier, on Tuesday, the minister while addressing the Sri Lankan Parliament had shared the profits booked by several RPCs and said that sustainability of an industry must not be based on exploitation of the labour.

He also thanked the Indian government for 4000 houses that have been built in the upcountry areas as well as for the 10000 houses that are part of phase 4 of the Indian Housing Project which has recently commenced.

The minister added that the Sri Lankan government has allotted 4000 million LKR to provide right to ownership of land for 176,000 families in the upcountry areas.

Mr. Thondaman added that 30 Indian teachers would be arriving in Sri Lanka as part of a project who will train 2235 Sri Lankan teachers in Central, Uva and Sabaragamuwa provinces. The training would be conducted for three months in the current instance.