Assam CM holds meeting to decide future course of tea gardens belonging to ATC

HT Bureau

GUWAHATI, Dec 22: Chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma held a meeting with Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha and other stakeholders and discussed the challenges and road ahead for the tea gardens of Assam Tea Corporation (ATC)  in the conference room of his office in Janata Bhawan here on Thursday.

The meeting discussed the ways for revamping the tea gardens under ATC. The meeting also observed that in the wake of difficulties of managing the tea gardens, ATC may lease out some of the tea gardens while retaining their ownership.

The chief minister said that if the groups that take the management of the tea gardens fail to disburse the dues and other entitlements of the tea workers, ATC will have the right to take over the management of the tea gardens.

The meeting also viewed that for leasing out the tea gardens and to safeguard the pay structure and other entitlements of the tea workers, the government will constitute a three member committee each for Barak and Brahmaputra valleys.

Minister for Tea Tribe Welfare Sanjay Kishan, president Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha Paban Singh Ghatowar, chairman Assam Tea Corporation Ltd Rajdeep Goala, general secretary Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha Rupesh Gowala, principal secretary to the chief minister Samir Kumar Sinha and others were present at the meeting.