Assam tea industry wants a 10-year roadmap from Sonowal govt

Looks at new BJP-led govt to take steps for revival of at least 15 tea estates of Assam Tea Corporation

With a new government taking charge in Dispur, the Assam tea industry has asked it to prepare a 10-year roadmap to address deficiencies and problems faced by the sector. Besides, the industry also wants the new BJP-led government to take steps for revival of at least 15 tea estates of Assam Tea Corporation and setting up of a tea auction centre in Jorhat in Upper Assam. 

A forum of three Assam based tea producers’ associations – Assam Tea Planters’ Association (ATPA), North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) and Bharatiya Cha Parishad (BCP), has also demanded “serious endeavour” on the part of the new government in convincing central government to declare tea as the ‘National Drink’ of India.

Raj Barooah, chairman of ATPA is of the view that to have a holistic approach towards the problems afflicting the Assam tea industry and to improve its financial health, a roadmap should be prepared taking views of all the stakeholders of tea industry. 

“We request the new government to draw a 10 year road map for this age old industry after taking the views of all the industry stakeholders. This policy paper should spell out the provisions in law that will need periodic amendments over the next 10 years and a strategy for improvement of the livelihood of the tea workers through a holistic approach by taking the way forward in improving the economic health of the tea industry of Assam,” ‘Barooah said.  

Bidyananda Barkakoty, vice chairman of Tea Board of India, said revival of 15 tea estates of Assam Tea Corporation, activating the Directorate of Tea and a tea auction centre in Jorhat should rank high on the new government’s priority list. He said many of the newly elected representatives were well convergent with the problems of the tea industry and hoped that the new government would accord priority to the industry’s demands. 

Barkakoty added that the Assam Tea Corporation and Directorate of Tea should be revamped by appointing professionals rather than bureaucrats as chairman and managing director (CMD) and director.  

Manoj Jallan, chairman of NETA, said since the new government was aware of the “difficult situation” that the tea industry had been passing through, he hoped it would “create and environment” for the industry to bounce back. “The new government should take measures to keep the age-old tea Assam tea industry relevant and competitive in the challenging times of the 21st century”, said Mayank Agarwalla, chairman of BCP.