Sri Lanka Proposes New Pension Scheme for Tea Industry Workers

The Agricultural and Agrarian Insurance Board, in collaboration with the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, has announced plans to introduce a new pension scheme for workers engaged in Sri Lanka's tea industry. This initiative aims to secure the livelihoods of individuals employed on tea estates and in tea factories, particularly as they age and may no longer be able to perform manual labour. Under the proposed scheme, contributors will have the flexibility to select premium installments based on their financial capacity. For instance, a worker joining at age 18 and contributing Rs. 600 per quarter could be entitled to a pension of Rs. 5,000 upon reaching 60 years of age, with monthly pension amounts varying based on contribution levels.