The Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers Associations (Cista) has sent a letter to Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari, seeking the constitution of a separate development board for them.
“We have sent a letter to the chief minister, requesting him to consider the proposal of setting up the West Bengal Small Tea Growers Development Board. The board can largely help in the improvement of the small tea sector and its stakeholders, as we contribute over 50 per cent of the total tea produced in Bengal,” said Bijoygopal Chakraborty, president, Cista.
In the letter, the growers have also mentioned that along with their representatives, the board should comprise officials of the Tea Board, the state commerce and industries department and administrations of the tea-producing districts, researchers and scientists.
North Bengal has around 50,000 small tea growers and two to three lakh workers are associated with them.
“Over the years, the small tea sector has emerged as a major component of the rural economy in some of the districts of north Bengal. The sector needs to be nurtured, and a state-level board can also work to address some of the issues which are acting as stumbling blocks in the growth of the sector,” Chakraborty added.
The letter sent to Adhikari also carries the growers’ request for their inclusion in the central government’s schemes for farmers.
Among these are the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (irrigation scheme), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (crop insurance scheme), Kisan Credit Card (that allows soft loans to farmers), Soil Health Card (that provides a comprehensive test report of the soil) and the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi (annual central assistance to farmers).
“We are no different from farmers as we own only plantations and cultivate tea leaves, a cash crop and a perishable item like many other agricultural products. Earlier, we had sent similar proposals to the then state government, but no initiative was taken,” said a veteran small tea grower based in Jalpaiguri.
Now that a new government has been formed in Bengal, they are hopeful that the state will take up these issues with the Centre.
“If the growers are brought under the ambit of these schemes, it would largely benefit them as they, too, suffer losses like other farmers and need loans. Also, we should be included in the Pradhan Matri Cha Sramik Protsahan Yojana, which is meant for the welfare of workers and their families of the tea estates,” the grower added.