Attempts by the Government to convince plantation companies to offer plantation workers Rs. 1,000 as the daily wage from 1 March remain deadlocked. Chairman of the Planters’ Association of Ceylon Lalith Obeyesekere told The Sunday Morning that they had not reached any agreement with the Government on the wage hike. The plantation companies have refused to agree to the wage hike, saying it would have a serious implications on their businesses. Minister of Plantation Industries and Export Agriculture Ramesh Pathirana, speaking to The Sunday Morning, said that another round of discussions on the matter would take place this week. He also denied claims that the Government will acquire any company which was unable to pay Rs. 1,000 as the daily wage. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had assured a Rs. 1,000 daily wage from 1 March in line with his election promise. The Government is of the opinion that plantation companies have been provided relief during the last few weeks, including reduction of value-added taxes (VAT), nation building taxes (NBT), and the removal of economic service charges. The Government has meanwhile informed the plantation companies that for an interim period of one year, it was willing to share the cost and the burden.