Guwahati: Debabrata Saikia urges PM for Tea Industry Revival Package

STAFF REPORTER 

Guwahati: Leader of the Opposition in the Assam Legislative Assembly, Debabrata Saikia, has written an urgent letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a special revival package to save Assam’s tea industry from what he described as an “existential crisis”.

In his letter addressed to the Prime Minister’s Office, Saikia recalled Modi’s recent visits to Assam, including the Jhumoir Binandini celebration in February 2025 and the September 13–14 tour during which projects worth over Rs 19,000 crore were inaugurated. While appreciating Modi’s warm references to Assam’s tea garden workers and his personal association as a “chaiwallah”, Saikia expressed disappointment that no concrete policy measures were announced for the sector that employs over 10 lakh people directly.

Saikia underscored his consistent advocacy in the Assembly for tea workers, pointing out wage disparities with southern states such as Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, where workers earn over Rs 470 per day. In contrast, Assam’s tea workers receive only Rs 220–250 per day despite the BJP’s electoral pledge to raise daily wages to Rs 351. He further flagged the plight of six lakh small tea garden workers, who contribute 40% of Assam’s tea production but remain outside wage protection frameworks.

The opposition leader also criticized the Tea Board of India and the Assam government for their “passive” approach. He noted growing discontent among small growers, including protests in Tinsukia, and stressed the urgency of “top-down directives” from the Centre.

Saikia called for reforms to India’s tea auction system, which he argued is increasingly tilted towards buyers. With unsold tea lots rising sharply—36% in Guwahati and 26% in Kolkata this year—small growers are receiving just Rs 13–15 per kg, far below costs.

Saikia proposed a comprehensive Rs 5,000-crore revival package, including Rs 2,000 crore in interest-free working capital for estates and small growers and an Rs 1,000 crore wage support fund to meet the promise. He also urged the Prime Minister to fix an MSP of Rs 25 per kg for green tea leaves.

Saikia accused the BJP of betraying tea workers by failing to deliver on key commitments such as wage hikes and Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for tea tribes, who make up 17% of Assam’s population.

 Also Read: Indian Tea Export Prices Rise 15.89%: Tea Board Report

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