A tea planters’ association in north Bengal has accused the Tea Board of India under the Union commerce ministry of delaying the release of subsidy to tea estates of Bengal unlike in the neighbouring BJP-ruled Assam.
“In north Bengal, the total subsidy yet to be paid to tea gardens is between Rs 300 crore and Rs 400 crore. Hundreds of applications are pending with the Tea Board that pays the subsidy. It is also disappointing that while we are being deprived, subsidies have been disbursed to applicants in Assam,” said M.P. Bansal, the chairman of the Terai Indian Planters’ Association (TIPA).
The TIPA, he said, has written to the Tea Board, the apex government agency for the tea sector, seeking immediate disbursement of the subsidy.
In the tea industry, estates can apply for subsidy if they do certain jobs such as replanting and rejuvenating tea bushes, setting up irrigation facilities, cultivating orthodox teas and modernising factories.
“An estate needs to approach the Tea Board for inspection and approval of a project for which it can avail subsidy. The project is then executed, and after another round of inspection, the subsidy is paid. In north Bengal, many gardens have spent money on such activities but have not yet received subsidy,” said a tea planter in Siliguri.
The tea planters’ association has also questioned the role of Raju Bista, the BJP’s Darjeeling MP, who is also a member of the Tea Board.
“We have also sent a letter to him, saying that though he makes statements on social media about certain achievements, nothing concrete is visible on ground. We have decided to reach out to the workforce at the tea gardens to apprise them of the real facts so that they do not get swayed by the publicity and marketing blitz,” Bansal added.
This is the first time a tea planters’ association in north Bengal has questioned the performance of the Board and MP.
A political observer said this might impact the Assembly elections. The state government’s recent decision to revise the wages of tea workers and salaries of staff and sub-staff has given an extra edge to Trinamul in the region, the observer said.
“The subsidy issue raised by the association is something the Tea Board has to deal with. It is evident that Trinamul will pick up the issue to exert fresh pressure on BJP. Both Trinamul and the BJP are focusing on the tea population across some 15 Assembly constituencies of north Bengal,” said an observer.
A source in the Tea Board said they were aware of the subsidy issue. “There are certain formalities that need to be completed before subsidy is disbursed,” said the source.
MP Bista could not be contacted by this paper for his comments.