Govt for optimum use of land in tea estates
The state government has constituted a committee to ascertain the actual area under tea cultivation and vacant land in the tea estate areas.
Preliminary reports suggest, of the total 13371.77 hectares of land meant for tea plantation, more than 50 percent land remains unutilized.
The government will outline its future plan for revival of tea industry after getting the final report from the panel, said Industries Minister Jitendra Chowdhury.
Addressing an interactive session with tea growers at Prajna Bhavan here today, Mr. Chowdhury stressed on optimum utilization of land allotted for tea plantation for revival of the industry.
“There are reports of lying huge land unused in different tea estates. This should not be happened to ensure optimum utilization of land”, he said.
Mr. Chowdhury also made it clear that absolute control of tea estate owners on the allotted lands should not be permitted. Tea garden owners were demanding blanket discretion on the allotted land.
Sudip Kumar Roy, Principal Secretary of Industries and Commence tried to address all the proposals put forwarded by Tea Estate Owners.
On the desertion of tea labouers due to NREGA, Mr. Roy exhorted the tea estate owners to offer best possible financial package to stop the tendency.
It has been observed that a sizable number of tea labourers have started deserting tea gardens to get job under the national flagship programme (NREGA) causing acute shortage of manpower in tea gardens.
Regarding shortage of fertilizer, Mr. Roy said if any garden owner comes forward with a concrete proposal to bring fertilizer directly, the government will render all possible help.
However, the government will not offer a blanket tax waive to the tea estate owners, he said adding that the tea garden owners could negotiate with TNGCL to use gas for processing tea at their factories.
Executive Director of Tea Board, Rakesh Saini, Binoy Kakoti, Scientific Officer of Tea Research Agency (ARA) and TAI secretary PK Biswas also attended the interactive session.