Lok Sabha Question No. 387 (STARRED), answered on 2022-03-30
Subject: Financial Assistance to Tea Industry
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 387 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30 th  MARCH, 2022

## FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO TEA INDUSTRY

## *387. SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वाणिज्य एवं उद्योग मं त्री ) be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the subsidies and financial assistance being provided to the tea industry during the last three years;
- (b) whether there are any pending subsides from the Government, particularly to the tea growers in North Bengal districts of Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduars;
- (c) if so, the details of the funds allocated for the welfare of tea garden workers and its utilisation status during the past three years;
- (d) the details of the assistance provided for small and independent tea growers and entrepreneurs; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government to promote small growers and the details of the schemes run for them by the Government?

## ANSWER

okf.kT; ,oa m|ksx ea=h ( Jh ih;w'k xks;y )

THE MINISTER OF  COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

(a) to (e):  A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. *****

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a) to (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED    QUESTION    NO.  387        FOR    ANSWER        ON    30 th   MARCH,  2022 REGARDING   ' FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO TEA INDUSTRY'.

- (a) to (c) : Under the Tea Development and Promotion Scheme implemented by the Tea Board during the  last  three  years  (2018-19  to  2020-21),  financial  assistance  (excluding  Human  Resource Welfare component) amounting to Rs 245.70 crore was provided to the eligible tea stakeholders for  various  activities  like  replantation/replacement,  rejuvenation,  irrigation,  mechanization, orthodox tea production, setting up of tea factories, Self Help Groups(SHGs)/Farmer Producer Organisations(FPOs), value addition etc.

Tea  Board  has  also  implemented  welfare  activities  under  Human  Resource  Development (HRD) component of the 'Tea Development and Promotion Scheme' during the last three years 2018-19 to 2020-21, aimed at improving the health and hygiene of workers, education of wards of workers and imparting training to improve skills for growers/workers. The fund allocation of Rs 11.32 crore towards the welfare of the tea garden workers and their wards/dependents during this period has been fully utilised covering 11,433 beneficiaries.

Tea Board disburses subsidies to eligible tea stakeholders as per budget provisions and approved scheme guidelines. Funds in all cases, where subsidy  was sanctioned, have been disbursed. Hence  there  is  no  pendency  including  in  North  Bengal  districts  of  Darjeeling,  Kalimpong, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar.

- (d) & (e): The TDPS Scheme being implemented by the Tea Board includes outlays inter alia for promoting  small  tea  growers  and  addressing  their  special  needs,  particularly  in  the  area  of quality production through mechanization,  establishing processing factories with special focus on  enhancement  of  quality;  organization  of  primary  producer  societies/self  help  groups, workshop & training , soil testing, organic certification , organic conversion and  other measures aimed  at  safeguarding  the    quality  of  tea.  Financial  assistance  of  Rs.64.95  crore  has  been provided to small tea growers from 2017-18 to February, 2022). Technical assistance is also provided  through  workshops  and  training  on  field  management  practices  to  the  small  tea growers to move them up the value chain. Workshops on climate change for  creating awareness amongst the small growers are also being organized . A Mobile App 'Chai Sahyog' has been developed  for  use  of  various  stakeholders  including  small  tea  growers  for  ensuring  better communication, discovery of price, traceability, training requirement, weather forecast etc. To ensure remunerative prices for green leaf to the small tea growers District Green Leaf Price Monitoring Committee (DGLPMC) has been notified in all tea growing districts of India under the Chairmanship of District Collector/Deputy Commissioner.  A separate Directorate under Tea Board, headquartered at Dibrugarh, Assam caters to the developmental needs of small tea growers.