(a) whether the Government proposes to set up separate office of Tea Board for Assam and if so, the details thereof;
(b) the funds sanctioned by the Government for Tea Board to implement various schemes of the Board during each of the last three years and the current year; and
(c) the steps taken by the Tea Board to develop the socio-economic conditions of tea labourers and their dependents?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)
(a): Tea Board has established its Zonal headquarters for the North-Eastern Region at Guwahati and the headquarters of the Small Tea Growers Directorate at Dibrugarh in Assam. Three other Regional Offices of the Tea Board are located in Assam at Jorhat, Tezpur and Silchar.
(b): Details of funds sanctioned by the Government for Tea Board to implement various schemes of the Board during the last three years and the current year (upto December, 2014) are given below:
(Rs.in Crores) Scheme 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 (Upto December, 2014)
Grant-In-Aid 12.00 10.00 19.49 11.64 (Research and Development)
Subsidy 209.15 150.67 104.90 90.25
Total 221.15 160.67 124.39 101.89