ITA hails Rs 1,000-cr package for tea workers in Union Budget

The Indian Tea Association (ITA)on Monday hailed the budgetary provision of Rs 1,000 crore forthe welfare of tea workers in West Bengal and Assam.

It would improve sustainability and strengthen thealignment with sustainable development goals (SDG), ITA saidin a statement.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman earlier on Mondaypresented the first paperless Union Budget for 2021-22.

The association said it also expects that the teaestate population would be provided a more comprehensivecoverage on welfare schemes related to housing, education,sanitation and medical facilities.

Most tea gardens in Assam and West Bengal are locatedin remote far-flung places and suffer from severaltransportation bottlenecks, it said.

''The allocation of Rs 3,400 crore for roadinfrastructure development in Assam and Rs 25,000 crore inWest Bengal is expected to speed up development of roads andinfrastructure, thereby facilitating faster communication fromtea gardens to destination points,'' ITA said.

Reacting to the budget announcements, MD of Luxmi Tea,Rudra Chatterjee said, ''I think the focus on agriculturalinfrastructure will improve logistics for tea. The Rs 1,000-crore fund for women engaged in tea industry should improvesocial investments...