Tea Estates owe Tocklai Tea Research Institute Rs 11 crore

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: It came to light on the floor of the State Assembly today that many tea estates of the Northeast and North Bengal continue to owe crores of rupees in the form of annual fees to the Tocklai Tea Research Institute located in the Jorhat District.

Congress MLA Bhaskar Baruah raised the issue of a cash crunch at the Tocklai Tea Research Institute in the State Assembly under Rule 54 today. Baruah said, "Research is very important for the tea industry. Since its inception, the institute has only conducted research on tea. However, the institute is passing over a period of cash crunch. Many employees who have gone on retirement from the institution are yet to get over Rs 10 crore in dues. In the interest of tea research, the government should take measures to bail out the institute."

On behalf of Industries Minister Bimal Borah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika said, "According to the Tocklai Tea Research Institute, their annual budget is around Rs 33 crore. Rs 16 crore comes from the member tea estates, Rs 3 crore from internal revenue, and Rs 10.50 crore through the Tea Board of India for salaries, PF, gratuity, health, and training. The Tea Board of India capped its contribution at Rs 10.50 crore in 2018. However, the institution receives Rs 3-4 crore less every year from the member tea estates. The Union Ministry of Commerce had meetings with tea estate managements in 2019 and 2020. The Ministry made it clear at the meetings that since the Tocklai Tea Research Institute is a non-government institution, the Ministry will extend grants to it through the Tea Board of India only up to the financial year 2025-26. "The institute should formulate its own roadmap to be self-sufficient," the Ministry said.

Hazarika further said that tea estates owed the institution Rs 11,15,25,396 in annual fees: Rs 5,85,15,204 from the TEs of the Northeast and Rs 5,30,10,191 from the tea gardens of North Bengal. He also said that the retired employees of the institution are to get Rs 10.22 crore. "Though the institution is not of the state government, yet the government extends some funds to it for training and schemes from time to time. The state government did much for the development of this institution and will continue to do that."

Hazarika requested that the defaulting tea gardens clear their annual fees with the Tocklai Tea Research Institute.

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