Koraput: Thousands of kendu leaf pluckers in Malkangiri district are still awaiting their bonus for 2025-26 financial year, fuelling discontent among them and leaving field-level munshis (collection supervisors) at the receiving end of their anger. The workers have also warned of a large-scale agitation if their dues are not released soon.Malkangiri, which has six kendu leaf forest divisions, is home to more than 52,000 pluckers, most of whom depend on the seasonal activity for their livelihood. While they received a bonus of 80 paise per bundle for the 2024-25 season, the bonus for 2025-26 has neither been announced nor disbursed.According to official estimates, more than Rs 5 crore was paid as bonus to pluckers for the 2024-25 season. The payout for 2025-26 is expected to exceed Rs 8 crore, while the bonus outgo for the ongoing 2026-27 season is likely to cross Rs 10 crore.The prolonged delay has caused financial hardship for thousands of tribal families. With repeated visits to kendu leaf offices yielding no clarity on the release of the bonus, many workers have begun confronting the munshis, demanding immediate payment of their dues.Divisional forest officer (kendu leaf) Uma Mahesh said the bonus for the 2025-26 season would be released this year after the state govt finalises the rate. “We expect the decision to be taken soon,” Mahesh said.Earlier on Tuesday, a delegation of munshis met the Malkangiri administration officials. “Workers are approaching us every day demanding the bonus. We have no role in the delay, yet we are facing their anger and are being threatened. We have requested the district administration to intervene and resolve the issue at the earliest,” a munshi said.The munshis urged the district administration to take up the matter with the state govt and expedite the release of the pending bonus to prevent the situation from escalating.
