New Delhi, July 23
The Tea Association of India expressed gratitude to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for deciding to implement "Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Protsahan Yojana", saying that it is devised for the welfare of Tea workers, especially women and their children in Assam and West Bengal.
As per an official release, the Tea Association said that, as proposed earlier in the Budget Speech of 2021-22, Rs 1,000 crores will be provided for the same and is aimed at making need-based interventions in tea garden areas for internal strengthening provisions of education and health services to the tea workers.
The scheme will be implemented in the period of FY 2024-25 and 2025-26.
Under "Productivity and Resilience Agriculture" proposals for Agriculture resilience, release of new climate resilience verities and Digital public infrastructure are proposed, which will surely boost the rural economy of the country.
The Government has particularly emphasized "Employment and Skilling".
Different Skilling programs along with schemes for Skilling loans with guarantees from Government promoted Fund and Educational loans will help to create an efficient workforce in the future. The Tea industry will also benefit from this.
Development of Digital and Banking infrastructure in the Tea growing regions has been a constant demand of the Tea industry for several years.
"The announcement of "Bank Branches in North Eastern region" is a positive step towards this direction," it said.
"The announcement of the continuation of PMAY and PMGSY will surely benefit the rural population including the Tea Garden population," it added.
The Tea Association of India welcomes the proactive step of the Government in addressing the "Economic Policy Framework" by proposing to initiate and incentivize reforms for (1) improving the productivity of factors of production, and (2) facilitating markets and sectors to become more efficient.
These reforms will cover all factors of production, namely land, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship, and technology as enablers of improving total factor productivity and bridging inequality.