Lok Sabha Question No. 1319 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-07
Subject: Financial Assistance to Small Tea Growers
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: MOHAMMAD SALIM, GEETHA KOTHAPALLI

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1319

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 7 TH  DECEMBER, 2015

## FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO SMALL TEA GROWERS

## 1319. SHRI MOHD. SALIM: SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA:

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

- a) whether small tea growers are facing distress over pricing woes;
- b) if  so,  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  help  small  tea  growers  along  with  the financial  assistance  provided  to  them  during  each  of  the  last  three  years  and  the current year;
- c) whether any cases of suicides in closed tea gardens of Darjeeling and Doars of West Bengal have come to the notice of the Government during the said period; and
- d) if so, the details thereof along with the action taken by the Government in each case?

## ANSWER

## वाणिज् य एवं उद्योग राज् य मंत्री )श्रीमती निममला सीतारमि((स्वतंत्र प्रभार ) THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)

(a) & (b): Government is aware of the contribution made by small tea growers to production of tea and the concerns over the prices received from sale of tea leaves. The Tea Board has notified  a  price  sharing  formula  for  ensuring  equitable  sharing  of  sale  proceeds  between factories  and  small  tea  growers.    District  Level  Price  Monitoring  Committees  have  been formed in the tea growing areas to monitor the green leaf price.  The Tea (Marketing) Control Order, 2003 has been amended to ensure transparency in prices paid by tea manufacturers to the small growers by referencing them to the average auction prices of tea in the region.  The growers  are  also  encouraged  to  set  up  their  own  tea  factories  either  individually  or collectively.

The Tea Development and Promotion Scheme implemented by the Tea Board during the XII Plan has a separate component for small growers' development. The Scheme includes outlays  inter  alia  for  promoting  small  tea  growers  and  addressing  their  special  needs, particularly  in  the  area  of  improving  production  and  productivity  through  new  planting; establishing processing factories with special focus on enhancement of quality; organization of primary producer societies/Self Help Groups; implementation of the price sharing formula notified under Tea Marketing Control Order, 2003 and  other measures aimed at safeguarding the    quality  of  tea.  A  separate  Small  Grower  Development  Directorate  with  adequate technical man power has been created to take care of the developmental needs of the small sector.

Financial assistance extended to the small tea growers in the last three years of the XII plan and the current year is given below:

| Financial assistance extended to the Small Tea Growers   | Financial assistance extended to the Small Tea Growers   | Financial assistance extended to the Small Tea Growers   |
|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No.                                                  | Financial Year                                           | Amount in ` Crore                                        |
| 1                                                        | 2012-13                                                  | 18.32                                                    |
| 2                                                        | 2013-14                                                  | 19.65                                                    |
| 3                                                        | 2014-15                                                  | 21.03                                                    |
| 4                                                        | 2015-16(Upto October)                                    | 2.57                                                     |
|                                                          | Total                                                    | 61.57                                                    |

- (c)  &  (d): The  Government  has  not  received  any  report  regarding  suicides  in  closed  tea gardens including Darjeeling and Doars of West Bengal.

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