MP on the rescue for Closed Tea Gardens

Jaigaon: The RSP MP from Alipurduar, Joachim Buxla, today met Jairam Ramesh and asked him about the mode of distribution of the special tea funds.

Buxla, who is in New Delhi, has also demanded that the Union minister of state for trade and commerce hold a special meeting of all the stakeholders of the tea industry and four MPs from the state’s brew belt.

“He has agreed to the meeting and has promised to send the letters soon to the parties concerned,” Buxla said over phone from Delhi.

The MP claimed that after the Centre announced a Rs 1,000-crore package for closed and abandoned gardens, he had met Ramesh on March 20. Today’s meeting was a follow-up.

There are 16 closed gardens in north Bengal and one in Kerala. Ramesh has promised to finalise the plans for their revival soon. “He has instructed the Tea Board to send me a copy of the formula by which the funds are going to be distributed,” the MP said.

Source: The Telegraph