Assam Govt Introduces Scheme To Boost Production Of Orthodox And Specialty Tea

Assam Chief Minister (CM) Himanta Biswa Sarma has initiated the Assam Tea Industries Special Incentive Scheme (ATISIS) that targets increasing the production of orthodox and specialty tea by providing incentives to tea gardens.

As per the scheme, an interest subvention of 3 per cent on loan for working capital up to Rs 20 lakh per annum will be rolled out by the state government.

Moreover, subsidy worth Rs 7 per kg on production of orthodox or specialty tea in addition to a 25 per cent subsidy for orthodox specialty tea units for plant and machinery up to a maximum amount of Rs 30 lakh will also be given by the government.

They will also be bestowed with an agriculture income tax holiday for a period of three years.

CM Sarma claimed that these incentives will further expedite the production of orthodox tea and put it in balance with the output of CTC.

He said that the initiative will assist in enabling the tea gardens to quell the current stressed situation as the state will simultaneously work towards improving the educational and the health institutions of the tea estates and thus realize the comprehensive development of the population in the tea garden.

Meanwhile, measures will also be taken to ensure last-mile delivery of several central government schemes to the tea garden estates. The CM said that state government will work towards providing connection of tap water in every tea garden house as per the Jal Jeevan Mission by December 2024.

Similarly, the gas grid of the Assam Gas Company will also be used to supply gas pipeline connection to all the houses of the tea gardens in the upper Assam districts such as Sivasagar, Tinsukia and Dibrugarh, Economic Times reports.