Livelihood Security among Tea Plantation Workers in Assam: Insights from a Micro-Level Quantitative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25175/jrd/2026/v45/i1/174235Keywords:
tea plantation workers; livelihood security; economy; Principal Component Analysis; AssamAbstract
The tea plantation sector has been a significant contributor to the economy of Assam since the colonial period. However, the working conditions and socio-economic status of tea plantation workers have always been a serious concern. The study examines the livelihood security of tea plantation workers in two selected tea gardens in Assam, as well as the income and expenditure patterns among tea workers’ households. Tea plantation workers were selected through a multi-stage sampling technique from two tea gardens located in the Kamrup (Rural) and Dibrugarh districts. A composite livelihood security index was constructed employing a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method to address the primary objective of the study. The findings of the study suggest that the average livelihood security of tea plantation workers’ households is 0.469, indicating a state of vulnerability. More than half of the tea households experience low to semi-medium levels of livelihood security. A disparity was evident between permanent and temporary workers in terms of monthly per capita income and expenditure. The results reveal that education for children constitutes the smallest share of total expenditure, while a large share of earnings is allocated to meet households’ food and nutritional requirements .
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