A pragmatic budget: North Eastern Tea Association on State budget

A CORRESPONDENT

GOLAGHAT: The chairman of North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) reacted to the Assam Budget presented on Wednesday by the State Finance Minister.

The chairman of NETA, Kamal Jalan said in a press release, "Overall it is a very pragmatic budget. All our appeals have found place in the budget and therefore, we express our gratitude to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Finance Minister Ajanta Neog."

Fifty tea tourism projects inside tea gardens will give a big boost to the tourism sector of Assam. Permitting tea gardens to undertake non-tea cultivation activities such as agroforestry, solar power projects etc. will help in bringing additional revenue to tea estates. The exemption of cess on green tea leaves will continue for another three years with effect from January 1, 2022. This is another welcome step, he said.

Continuation of the Assam Tea Industries Special Incentives Scheme (ATISIS) for one more year will be of big help for the tea industry. In the budget there are several good proposals for the welfare of tea tribes. Around 436 schools in tea gardens to be brought under the ambit of the State Government and 117 Model High Schools in gardens to be made operational from May 10, 2022 are excellent initiatives by the government. Skilling tea tribe youth and organizing community based events in 800 tea gardens and 2.9 lakh remaining households to be covered under Jal Jeevan Mission by 2022-23 will be of great help to the tea tribe community.

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