Most tea gardens in the Dooars and the Terai have agreed to pay workers bonus at the rate of 20 per cent of their annual wages.

A virtual bipartite meeting between trade unions and tea planters on Tuesday also agreed that the bonus would be paid by October 4. There are over 195 tea gardens in the plains, which together employ more than 2 lakh people. Most estates had disbursed the bonus at the rate of 20 last year.

Gopal Pradhan, the president of the Dooars Cha Bagan Workers’ Union, said: “Workers of Terai and Dooars tea gardens will receive bonus at 20 per cent of the annual wages. However, the management of 40-odd gardens sought concessions citing financial distress.”

Last year, 27 sick gardens had paid bonuses ranging from 11 to 19 per cent.

A meeting to decide on the bonus for tea garden workers in the Darjeeling hills has been scheduled for Wednesday.