THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SMT. NIRMALA SITHARAMAN)
(a): As per Baseline Survey conducted by the Tea Board, the number of tea gardens in the country and the total number of permanent/temporary labourers employed therein are given in the Table below:
Number of Tea gardens and labour employed State No. of Tea No. of labourers gardens (Permanent and temporary) Assam 767 691624 West Bengal 327 327029 Other North 78 13742 Indian States Total North India 1172 1032395 Tamil Nadu 140 49226 Kerala 91 43394 Karnataka 18 3443 Total South India 249 96063 All India 1421 1128458
In addition, there are nearly two lakh small holdings owned by small farmers with holdings less than 10.12 hectare each. The details of ownership of the tea gardens are given in Annexure.
(b):Following eight tea gardens in the country are reported to be closed as on 31st July, 2014:
Sl. State Tea Estate Month of closure Workers affected No. 1 Kerala Kottamala December, 2013 220 2 Achencoil February, 2010 47 3 West Bengal Dheklapara August, 2002 to 802 March, 2006 # 4 Bundapani July, 2013 1283 5 Redbank December, 2012 1588 to October, 2013 # 6 Surendranagar 451 7 Dharanipur 824 8 Assam Rani March, 2010 105 Total 5320 # indicates closing dates in different phases.
The tea gardens are reported to have been closed due to loss of production and incomes, poor management and financial liabilities. In some cases, ownership disputes, protracted litigation and financial mismanagement have caused the closure of gardens.
Tea Board implements Plan schemes to support the tea gardens and other small growers for improved tea cultivation including replanting, rejuvenation and marketing of produce. Welfare activities for human resource development are also undertaken. Besides, consultations are undertaken by the Government with all stakeholders including the Tea Board, the tea estate owners, workers, State Governments and other relevant agencies to resolve issues pertaining to the tea gardens and workers.
(c): Government has set up a separate Directorate with effect from April 1, 2013 to look after the developmental needs of small growers. Several field offices have been opened to have closer interface with the small growers at grass root level. Growers are encouraged to form collectives in order to sell their produce (green tea leaves) to the processing factories. A price sharing formula has been notified for ensuring equitable sharing of sale proceeds between factories and growers. Growers are also encouraged to set up their own micro or mini tea factories either individually or collectively for which capital subsidy is available.
Financial assistance given to small tea growers over the last three years are shown below:
(Rs. in Lakhs) Activity 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14 Total New Planting 691.00 582.50 613.96 1887.01 Replanting 107.90 75.45 30.78 214.13 Rejuvenation 125.84 106.02 103.26 335.12 Self Help Group 558.63 99.50 589.46 1247.59 Setting up of New 474.77 0 0 474.77 factories Training /workshop/ 126.58 978.74 585.00 1690.32 study tour etc Total 2084.72 1842.21 1922.46 5849.39 For 2014-15, Rs.3 cores has been earmarked for small tea gardens.
(d): Tea Board is a statutory body set up under section 4 of the Tea Act, 1953 and functions under administrative control of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The Board consists of 31 Members including Chairman. The members represent Parliament, major tea producing state governments, owners of tea estates and gardens and growers of tea, dealers/traders of tea, persons employed on tea estates and gardens, manufacturers and consumers, etc. The Board reconstituted every three years, regulates the tea undertakings and plans & implements programmes and schemes for development, production, marketing and exports of tea. It also implements specific schemes and initiatives for improvement and upgradation of quality of tea, research in tea cultivation and production and protection of the small growers and workers in the tea undertakings through arrangements for marketing of tea and human resource development.
Total Plan funds allocated to Tea Board for the last three years and the current year are as under:
(Rs. In Crore) Year Total funds allocated Funds under HRD 2011-12 219.99 4.66 2012-13 160.41 12.69 2013-14 124.36 8.93 2014-15 148.50 5.00
(e): The Plantation Labour Act, 1951 (PLA) provides for regulation of the conditions of work and welfare measures for workers in tea plantations. Tea Board also undertakes several welfare activities which are supplemental in nature and cover welfare measures aimed at Human Resource Development (HRD) in the area of health and hygiene of workers, education of wards of workers and training to improve skills for growers/workers and plantation managerial staff.
Download PDF Files
