The government today lowered the mandatory sale of tea by the Bought Leaf Tea Factory through public auction system to 50 per cent.
The government in an earlier notification made it mandatory to sell 70 per cent of tea manufactured by the Bought Leaf Tea Factory through public auction system.
The centre's notification on April 15, had been a severe blow to the interest of the farmers and small tea growers.
The Assam government claimed that the step was taken in response to a letter sent by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to the Commerce and Industry Ministry raising concerns over the previous notification.
The Ministry, took cognizance of the Gogoi's letter and slashed the mandatory sale of tea of the Bought Leaf Tea Factory through public auction system to 50 per cent, an official statement said.
It added, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wrote a letter to the Chief Minister apprising him about the decision.
Gogoi acknowledged the Union Minister's gesture and said the state will work relentlessly for the interest of the marginalised farmers and small tea growers in future too, the statement said.
The Chief Minister sought the Prime Minister's
intervention in amending the Plantation Labour Act 1951 so as to bring under its ambit the temporary tea garden workers, who constitute about 50 per cent of the tea tribe population.
Gogoi said as tea was an agro-based industry, the Centre may consider listing tea and tea industry in the State List.
Pointing out the Tea Board of India was functioning without a regular chairman, Gogoi said "In order to look after the interests of the tea industry, posting of a regular chairman is a sine qua non.
"At the same time, the post of Executive Director in Assam is lying vacant since the past two years, while the post of Director of Small Tea Growers is yet to be filled up ever since its inception three years back. These issue requires to be addressed urgently."
He also urged the Centre to provide 12,590 MT of additional food grains, monthly, for tea garden workers at a subsidised rate in pursuance with the order passed by the Gauhati High Court.
