- Self-Study Guided Program o Notes o Tests o Videos o Action Plan
At present, there are 1585 number of established tea gardens in the country. The names of the companies operating the tea gardens as per the Baseline Survey conducted in the year 2015 by the Tea Board is given in Annexure-1. The details of total number of permanent /temporary workers state-wise as per the Baseline Survey conducted by the Tea Board in 2015 for the organized sector in the country is given in the following Table:
| S.No |
State |
Permanent |
Temporary |
Total |
| 1 |
Assam |
400352 |
284302 |
684654 |
| 2 |
West Bengal |
241144 |
96172 |
337316 |
| 3 |
Tripura |
7953 |
5304 |
13257 |
| 4 |
Arunachal Pradesh |
141 |
487 |
628 |
| 5 |
Sikkim |
397 |
0 |
397 |
| 6 |
Meghalaya |
19 |
125 |
144 |
| 7 |
Bihar |
20 |
40 |
60 |
| 8 |
Himachal Pradesh |
55 |
508 |
563 |
| 9 |
Mizoram |
15 |
50 |
65 |
| 10 |
Uttarakhand |
668 |
948 |
1616 |
| 11 |
Tamil Nadu |
39311 |
10099 |
49410 |
| 12 |
Kerala |
33534 |
7239 |
40773 |
| 13 |
Karnataka |
2638 |
421 |
3059 |
| All India |
726247 |
405695 |
1131942 |
Source: Tea Board
At present, 11 tea gardens are closed in the country. The main reasons for closure of these gardens are attributed to poor yield of the estates, ageing bush profile and high vacancy percentage in tea area, negligible uprooting / replanting of age old tea bushes for years, poor garden management practices, falling quality and price realizations, overall lack of development perspective, highly debt oriented funding strategy and ownership disputes.
The details indicating state-wise closed tea estates (T.E) and number of workers affected are given below:
| Sl. No. |
Name of the T.E |
State/UT |
No. of Workers affected |
|
| Permanent |
Temporary |
|||
| 1 |
Dheklapara T.E
|
West Bengal |
604 |
200 (Approx.) |
| 2 |
Bundapani T.E
|
West Bengal |
1215 |
68 |
| 3 |
Dharanipur T.E
|
West Bengal |
357 |
450 (Approx.) |
| 4 |
Redbank T.E
|
West Bengal |
888 |
700 (Approx.) |
| 5 |
Surendranagar T.E |
West Bengal |
301 |
150 (Approx.) |
| 6 |
Madhu T.E |
West Bengal |
947 |
- |
| 7. |
Panighata |
West Bengal |
787 |
- |
| 8 |
Manabarrie |
West Bengal |
452 |
101 |
| 9. |
M/s Peermade Tea Co. Ltd.-Peermade&Lonetree T.E. |
Kerala |
220 |
- |
| 10. |
M/s MMJ Plantations-Kottamala&Bonami T.E |
Kerala |
375 |
- |
| 11 |
Bonaccord |
Kerala |
220 |
- |
|
|
Total = |
6366 |
1669 |
|
Source: Tea Board
The following steps have been taken by the Government for revival of the closed tea estates in the country:
(i) The Dheklapara Tea Estate was officially liquidated by the Calcutta High Court. The garden was put up for e-auction by the Calcutta High Court (Official Liquidator) on 11th May, 2012, but no prospective buyer was available. The West Bengal Govt. has cancelled land lease in respect of Bundapani, Redbank, Dharanipur, Surendranagarand Madhu tea estates and taken possession of the land to find out new entrepreneur.
(ii) A committee headed by the District Magistrates in North Bengal districts regularly monitors the welfare measures and different schemes introduced by the State government in the tea gardens.
(iii) The Government of Kerala has constituted Plantation Workers’ Relief Fund in the districts of Thiruvananthapuram, Palakkad, Waynad and Idukki. The fund is utilized for the relief activities such as nutritious food, study materials, note books, school bags and umbrellas to the children of workersin the closed gardens of the State. Medical camps are being organised and financial assistance extended for the medical treatment of deadly diseases to the labourers.
The Tea Board under the Tea Development & Promotion Scheme is extending financial assistance to the small growers for uprooting and replanting, rejuvenation, pruning, irrigation, assistance to Self Help Groups (SHGs), field mechanization, assistance to Farmers’ Producers Organizations (FPOs), annual award for SHGs & FPOs, setting up of new factories by FPOs, setting up mini factories, workshop/training, development & promotion of organic farming and organic conversion.
Assistance provided by the Tea Board under the Tea Development & Promotion Scheme during the last three years and current year for the benefit of small tea growers is given below:
| States
|
Years (Rs. In Lakh) |
|||
| 2016-17 |
2017-18 |
2018-19 |
2019-2020 |
|
| Assam |
446.2 |
328.32 |
885.54 |
105.00 |
| Tripura |
17.33 |
29.24 |
133.93 |
0.23 |
| Arunachal Pradesh |
0.61 |
0.95 |
0.87 |
0.00 |
| Nagaland |
0.43 |
0.10 |
14.74 |
0.00 |
| Meghalaya |
0.5 |
0.72 |
6.22 |
0.00 |
| Mizoram |
9.67 |
98.60 |
19.43 |
0.00 |
| Tamil Nadu |
179.94 |
295.21 |
104.76 |
29.71 |
| Kerala |
74.54 |
406.44 |
117.91 |
2.81 |
| Karnataka |
0.00 |
0.13 |
0.00 |
0.00 |
| West Bengal |
48.16 |
55.61 |
578.51 |
30.44 |
| Bihar |
0.77 |
0.00 |
0.16 |
0.00 |
| Himachal Pradesh |
24.78 |
97.64 |
85.62 |
6.71 |
| Uttarakhand |
2.78 |
87.4 |
97.51 |
6.08 |
| Total = |
805.71 |
1400.36 |
2045.20 |
180.98 |
Source: Tea Board
District Green Leaf Price Monitoring Committee (DGLPMC) has been notified in all tea growing districts of India under the chairmanship of District Collector/Deputy Commissioner to ensure remunerative prices for green leaf to the small teas growers. The committee notifies Minimum Benchmark Price (MBP) every month by taking into consideration the average sale price of made tea for the previous month for all the factories located in the district.
The Tea Board was set up under section 4 of the Tea Act, 1953. The Tea Board comprises of a Chairman and 31 members appointed by the Government of India, including the representatives of the major tea growing States, representatives of the Parliament and members representing different sections of the tea industry.
The Head office of the Tea Board is located in Kolkata, West Bengal and there are two Zonal Offices, one each at Guwahati and Coonoor. The Tea Board functions as an apex body concerned with overall development of the tea industry in India by providing necessary assistance for research and developmental activities aimed at increasing production, productivity and quality; facilitation of trade and promotion of exports so as to ensure maximum returns to the producers including small growers, safeguarding the interests of the workers and the consumers.
Welfare needs of plantation workers, including tea, are addressed through the provisions of the Plantation Labour Act which are implemented by the tea estates under the supervision of the state governments. In addition, the Tea Board also undertakes several welfare activities which are supplemental in nature. Such activities aimed at Human Resource Development (HRD) consists of measures for improving the health and hygiene of workers, education of wards of workers and imparting training for improvement of skills.
Funds provided under the Human Resource Development (HRD) during the last three years and the current year are given in the following table:
| Year |
Total (Rs. in crores) |
| 2016-17 |
4.65 |
| 2017-18 |
5.22 |
| 2018-19 |
2.45 |
| 2019-20 (Upto30-6-2019) Provisional |
0.45 |
| Total |
12.77 |
Source: Tea Board
For the overall development of the tea industry, including tea growers, the Government of India, through Tea Board is implementing the Tea Development & Promotion Scheme. Different nodal officers of the Tea Board are responsible implementation of the different components of the Scheme. The Deputy Chairman, Tea Board periodically reviews the progress of implementation of the Scheme. All the services for implementation of the various components of the scheme are provided through online e-governance mechanism and all payments are made through e-payment mode i.e. RTGS/NEFT.
Annexure-1
List of Tea Companies
| S.NO. |
COMPANY NAME |
34 |
GONESHBARI TEA CO. PVT.LTD. |
||
| 1 |
SIANG TEA & INDUSTRIES PVT LTD |
35 |
JALLAN GOLAGHAT TEA CO PVT LTD |
||
| 2 |
IRRINGMARA TEA CO (1951) LTD |
36 |
GOBINDAPORE TEA CO. PVT LTD |
||
| 3 |
SUBLIME AGRO LIMITED |
37 |
BARAK VALLEY CEMENT LTD. |
||
| 4 |
DOYAPORE TEA INDUSTRIES (P) LTD. |
38 |
GOPAL KRISHNA TEA CO. PVT. LTD. |
||
| 5 |
HASHMUKH.R.PATEL SRI HARISH. R. PATEL. |
39 |
BURAGOHAIN AGRO ASSOCIATES |
||
| 6 |
THE ASSAM TEA & TEASEED PLANTATIONS (P) LTD. |
40 |
M.K.JOKAI AGRI PLANTATIONS PRIVATE LIMITED |
||
| 7 |
THE GROB TEA CO. LTD. |
41 |
DHUNSERI PETROCHEM & TEA LIMITED |
||
| 8 |
GILLANDERS ARBUTHNOT & CO. LTD. |
42 |
HARISHPUR TEA CO. PVT. LTD. |
||
| 9 |
KANOI PLANTATIONS PVT. LTD. |
43 |
MARUDHAR TEA CO. PVT. LTD. |
||
| 10 |
ETHELWOLD ESTATE PRIVATE LIMITED |
44 |
HANUMAN TEXNIT & INDUSTRIES LTD |
||
| 11 |
CHOUDHURY TEA & AGRO INDUSTRIES PVT LTD |
45 |
STEWART HOLL(INDIA) LTD |
||
| 12 |
JALLAN FURKATING TEA COMPANY (PVT) LTD. |
46 |
RUKMINI TEA INDISTRIES (P) LTD |
||
| 13 |
B & A LTD. |
47 |
APEEJAY TEA SURRENDRA CORPORATE SERVICE PVT. LTD. |
||
| 14 |
BANSHIDHAR SEWBHAGOVAN & CO |
48 |
KPC PLANTATIONS PVT LTD |
||
| 15 |
GANGABARI TEA CO. PVT. LTD |
49 |
ANDREW YULE & COMPANY LIMITED |
||
| 16 |
THE BARAK TEA CMPANY LTD |
50 |
HIAJULI TEA COMPANY LIMITED |
||
| 17 |
DHUNSERI TEA & INDUSTRIES LIMITED |
51 |
HOOGRAJULI (ASSAM) TEA CO. LTD. |
||
| 18 |
THE AHMED TEA CO PVT LTD |
52 |
GOODRICKE GROUP LIMITED |
||
| 19 |
MCLEOD RUSSEL INDIA LIMITED |
53 |
NANDLALL & SONS TEWA INDUSTRIES (P) LTD. |
||
| 20 |
ROSSEL TEA LIMITED |
54 |
JAINCO TEA (P) LTD |
||
| 21 |
MOHEEMA LTD |
55 |
JOONKTOLLEE TEA & INDUSTRIES LTD. |
||
| 22 |
AMALGAMATED PLANTATIONS PRIVATE LIMITED |
56 |
JALANNAGAR TEA ESTATE (P) LTD |
||
| 23 |
ASSAM COMPANY INDIA LIMITED |
57 |
SPBP TEA PLANTATION LTD. |
||
| 24 |
THE BORMAHJAN TEA CO.(1936) LTD. |
58 |
BHUMYA TEA CO. PVT. LTD. |
||
| 25 |
AMRAWATI TEA CO. PVT. LTD. |
59 |
SONTONZA CONSTRUCTION & CARRIERS PVT. LTD. |
||
| 26 |
RYDAK SYNDICATE LIMITED |
60 |
THE ALL INDIA TEA & TRADING CO LTD |
||
| 27 |
THE CHAMONG TEA CO LTD |
61 |
SHREE JAGADAMBA CO PVT. LTD |
||
| 28 |
BIJOY KRISHNA SADHAN ASHRAM TRUST BOARD |
62 |
KHEMANI TEA COMPANY PVT. LTD. |
||
| 29 |
VISHNU TEA & INDUSTRIES PVT LTD |
63 |
KUYKIS LTD. |
||
| 30 |
BAGASA PLANTATION PVT LTD |
64 |
ASSAM TEA CORPORATION LIMITED |
||
| 31 |
WARREN TEA LIMITED |
65 |
SURMA TEA & AGRO INDUSTRIES |
||
| 32 |
RUNGAMATTEE TEA & INDUSTRIES LTD |
66 |
SONAI RIVER TEA CO. LTD. |
||
| 33 |
M K SHAH EXPORTS LIMITED |
67 |
DHELAKHAT TEA CO. LTD |
||
| 68 |
DHONESWARI WOOD PRODUCTS LTD |
102 |
NIDHI PACKERSPVT LTD |
||
| 69 |
NORTHERN EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH |
103 |
RUKONG TEA ESTATE PVT LTD |
||
| 70 |
MODINAGAR TEA CO. (P) LTD |
104 |
THE JOREHAUT GROUP LIMITED |
||
| 71 |
LUXMI TEA CO.LTD. |
105 |
RUTTONPORE PLANTATIONS PVT.LTD. |
||
| 72 |
MUKTABARI TEA ESTATES PVY. LTD. |
106 |
SAROJINI TEA CO. (P) LTD. |
||
| 73 |
BOCHAPATHAR TEA ESTATE PRIVATE LTD. |
107 |
SALONAH TEA ESTATE (P) LTD. |
||
| 74 |
NAHORBARI TEA COMPANY PVT. LTD. |
108 |
SAPOI TEA COMPANY LIMITED |
||
| 75 |
NAWKA TEA PLANTATIONS |
109 |
SANKAR TEA CO PVT LTD |
||
| 76 |
NAHORJAN TEA CO. (PVT) LTD |
110 |
SENGAJAN TEA CO. PVT. LTD. |
||
| 77 |
NARSINGPORE TEA CO LTD |
111 |
BASANTIPUR TEA CO LTD |
||
| 78 |
NARAYANPUR TEA CO.(P) LTD. |
112 |
SECONEE T.E PVT. LTD |
||
| 79 |
NAMBURNADI TEA CO. LTD. |
113 |
MAUD TEA & SEED CO. LTD. |
||
| 80 |
MADARKHAT TEA CO PVT LTD |
114 |
KAMAL TEA INDUSTRIES LTD. |
||
| 81 |
SADASIVA TEA CO PVT LTD |
115 |
ASSAM DAIRY FARM |
||
| 82 |
KYANG TEA SEED CO. LTD. |
116 |
TONGANI TEA CO LTD |
||
| 83 |
BORNEWRIA TEA CO. PVT. LTD. |
117 |
TOCKLAI EXPERIMENTAL STATION |
||
| 84 |
NEW MANAS TEA ESTATES PVT LTD |
118 |
MONABARI TEA CO. LTD. |
||
| 85 |
NOORBARI TEA CO. PVT. LTD. |
119 |
TONGANAGAON TEA CO PVT LTD |
||
| 86 |
PORAPKAR DEALERS PVT.LTD |
120 |
TULIP TEA CO. LTD. |
||
| 87 |
PADAM PLANTATIONS PVT LTD |
121 |
H.P.BARUA TEA ESTATES (P)LTD. |
||
| 88 |
MANTRI TEA COMPANY PRIVATE LTD |
122 |
KATILCHERRA KHANDSARI SUGAR MILLS |
||
| 89 |
BENGAL TEA & FABRICS LTD. |
123 |
UMABARI TEA CO. PVT. LTD. |
||
| 90 |
PANBARI TEA COMPANY LIMITED |
124 |
CACHAR NATIVE GOINT STOCK CO.LTD |
||
| 91 |
PULSAR COMMERCE PRIVATE LTD |
125 |
KHETAN KRISHI FARM |
||
| 92 |
HANUMAN PLANTATION LIMITED |
126 |
MOKALBARI KANOI TEA ESTATE (P) LTD |
||
| 93 |
JOREHAUT GROUP LIMITED |
127 |
MADHUTING TEA PVT LTD |
||
| 94 |
MADHUPUR TEA ESTATE PVT.LTD. |
128 |
AGARWALLA AGRICULTURAL CO (P) LTD |
||
| 95 |
THENGALBARI ESTATES PVT LTD |
129 |
BIJULI TEA PVT. LTD. |
||
| 96 |
RANGSALI TEA COMPANY PVT. LTD. |
130 |
KAKADONGA T.E.S. PVT LTD |
||
| 97 |
RABBANIA TEA CO(P) LTD |
131 |
KAMALPUR (ASSAM) T.E. (P) LTD. |
||
| 98 |
RAJARAMPORE TEA& INDUSTRIES (P) LTD. |
132 |
GUPTU & CO (P) LTD |
||
| 99 |
BEMOLAPUR TEA COMPANY PVT LTD |
133 |
GROB TEA CO LTD |
||
| 100 |
PRITHUNAGAR TEA CO. (P) LTD. |
134 |
KALYANI TEA CO LTD |
||
| 101 |
PURANIMATI PLANTATION PRIVATE LTD |
135 |
FARMEX TEA CO. PVT. LTD. |
||
| 136 |
KOOMBER TEA CO. PVT LTD |
170 |
A SHAH AND S SHAH |
|
| 137 |
SHRI RAM TEA COMPANY PRIVATE LIMITED |
171 |
SHREE KRISHNA TEA CO PVT LTD |
|
| 138 |
BUNI DOOARS TEA CO. LTD |
172 |
AMBICA TEA ESTATE |
|
| 139 |
KOLKATA TEA COMPANY |
173 |
BAJRANGPUR TEA CO. (P) LTD |
|
| 140 |
KOLONY TEA ESTATE PVT LTD |
174 |
GOUR NITYA TEA CO INDUS. LTD |
|
| 141 |
ENVER PLANTATIONS PVT. LTD. |
175 |
BAGRODIA CHAI PVT.LTD. |
|
| 142 |
DARSHANLAL ANAND PRAKASH & SONS PVT LTD |
176 |
JALAN CHARITY TRUST |
|
| 143 |
KRISHNAKALI TEA ESTATE UNIT OF RADHARANI T.E. |
177 |
SINGHI INDUSTRIES PVT LTD |
|
| 144 |
LALLAMUKH TEA CO. PVT. LTD |
178 |
BANWARIPUR T.E. |
|
| 145 |
HATIGARH ASSOCIATES |
|