Guwahati: As Assam celebrated 200 years of the first tea plantation being set up in the state, the state government on Thursday announced increased production subsidies for orthodox and speciality teas, and waiver of past electricity dues of tea garden workers living on `coolie lines’.
It also said that the tea garden and Adivasi community will be recognised as a separate sub-category within the Other Backward Classes (OBC) and that the government will focus on improving infrastructure in workers’ colonies.
Finance Minister Ajanta Neog, while making the announcements as part of Assam’s annual budget, also said the government will celebrate completion of 200 years of Assam Tea in a grand manner.
Roadshows in major cities across the country as well as abroad to promote Assam Tea as a brand and showcase the rich socio-cultural heritage of tea garden communities has been proposed, she said.
Neog said the Assam Tea Industries Special Incentives Scheme (ATISIS), 2020, will be further strengthened to incentivise the production of orthodox tea and speciality tea in Assam.
“As promised, an increase in the production subsidy for orthodox and speciality tea from Rs 7 to Rs 10 per kg is already under process. However, celebrating the 200 years of Assam Tea, I am pleased to announce that for the current year of 2023-24 only, an enhanced production subsidy of Rs 12 per kg will be extended,” she said, earmarking Rs 100 crore for the scheme.
The Finance Minister also proposed an extension of the tax holiday on Agricultural Income Tax for a period of the next three years.
Neog said emphasis will be given to the infrastructure development of tea garden labour lines, especially on the development of roads.
“This year, as a special relief, all the arrears on electricity dues of tea garden worker families living in the lines will be waived off as a one-time measure by the Government. I will earmark Rs 150 crore for the same,” she said.
Neog also said that tea gardens and the Adivasi community will be recognised as a separate sub-category within Other Backward Classes (OBC) and around 3 per cent reservation in government jobs, within the OBC quota, will be considered for them, subject to fulfilling legal stipulations.
She also said compensation for pregnant women among tea garden workers will be increased to Rs 15,000 from the existing Rs 12,000, Rs 200 crore has been kept for the construction of 500 Mahaprabhu Jagannath Community Hall cum Skill Centres in tea gardens and 10,000 houses will be constructed in Tea Garden labour lines under Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana.
She also allocated Rs 100 crore for supporting Assam Tea Corporation Limited (ATCL) against the payment of outstanding liabilities of interest on the Provident Fund.
She said the government plans to take up different priority schemes like the Small Tea Garden Workers’ Social Security Scheme to provide financial assistance to small tea garden workers undergoing medical treatment.
The minister also said as part of a thrust on tea tourism, some 50 tea gardens have already been selected by the Tourism department to provide capital infrastructure support.
Two high-end Tea Tourism resorts will also be set up in Kaziranga, she added.
Neog said the Assam Chah Janagusthiya Samannay Kalakshetra scheme, taken up in 2021-22 to construct a self-sustaining multi-faceted socio-cultural centre, will be located near Kaziranga at Hatikhuli Bagicha Gaon in Golaghat.
She also said a one-time cash grant of Rs 25,000 each to self-employed entrepreneurs belonging to Tea Tribes Communities under the Swahid Dayal Das Panika Swaniyojon Achoni has been proposed and Rs 429.38 crore earmarked for it.
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Meanwhile, the planters’ body Tea Association of India (TAI) has hailed the Assam budget and lauded the extension of the agricultural income tax exemption and the special incentive for the production of orthodox and speciality tea.
“The proposal to hold road shows all over India to promote Assam tea, as part of the 200 years celebration, would be of immense benefit to the Assam Tea Industry,” Dipanjol Deka, secretary, TAI Assam Branch, said.
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