Tocklai Tea Research officials demand release of fund

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

JORHAT, April 29: The Tocklai Tea Research Association Officers’ union and employees’ union have demanded the Central Government to tiolize the Tocklai Tea Research Institute. Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Dr. Shyamal Prasad Baruah, secretary of the officers’ union further said, “The Commerce Ministry has made a 76 per cent cut on plan allocation in the current fincial year 2016-17 and the total allocation for R&D has been reduced from Rs 27 crore to merely Rs 6 crore. Since the funding to TRA is done by Tea Board from the plan funds, huge deductions on the plan head have made the Tea Board uble to disburse required funds to TRA. This year Tea Board is yet to disburse funds to TRA on account of 49 per cent and the pending  amount for the current year up to now (third quarter) will be Rs 8 crore. Apart from this, the amounts pending from Tea Board are Rs. 9.95 crore on account of 31 per cent share from April, 2012 to November, 2014, Rs. 19.52 crore on account of 31 per cent share for R&D projects from December 2014 to October 2016 and Rs. 2.64 crore on account of testing fee Tea Council tests. Total amount due from the government is more than Rs. 40 crore whereas our total payable due is around Rs. 10 crore as on date, including all liabilities.”