Gogoi wants tea in State List

CM also demands withdrawal of notification on mandatory sale of 70 per cent of tea manufactured by the Bought Leaf Factories through public auction system

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, July 12: Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today urged Union Commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman to initiate measures to transfer the subject 'Tea' from the Union List to the State List in the Constitution of India.

In a letter to Sitharaman, Chief Minister Gogoi said the State Governments can address the issues relating to the tea sector better than the Central Government. "As you are aware, tea was one of the major export earners at the time of Independence. However, a lot of developments have taken place during the last 65 years and now, compared to the Central Government, State Governments can address the issues relating to this sector better," said Gogoi.

The Chief Minister said the enlistment of 'Tea' as a State subject would be in the larger interest of the people, particularly for the labourers engaged in the tea industry.

Gogoi also urged Sitharaman to initiate steps in right earnest to withdraw the notification regarding sale of 70 per cent of tea manufactured by the Bought Leaf Factories (BLFs) through Public Auction System.

Gogoi said that the notification No.SO.1012(E) dated 15th April 2015 issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is 'discrimitory and violative of the right to equality as provided in the Constitution of India as it has been made applicable only to BLFs and not to estate gardens.'

Gogoi said the State Government is of the firm opinion that the implementation of the notification would cause immense hardship to the BLFs as the sale of their produce through public auction would fetch them lesser price besides causing delay of 5-6 weeks in receipt of the sale proceeds, thus further jeopardising the viability of their business.

"We are of the opinion that the implementation of the notification will be detrimental to the interests of small tea growers and lead to enormous losses," he added.