All Nagaland Small Tea Growers’ Association (ANSTGA) has clarified the news item “CAG asks tea board to frame long term plan” that was published in Assam Tribune dated August 25.
ANSTGA president D. Hukiye Kibami and general secretary I Imli Yaden stated that the facts about the failure of tea board were evident from the experience faced by small tea growers of Nagaland.
Despite the allocated funds as pointed out by CAG, the association said the tea board had failed to implement the schemes to encourage, upgrade the tea industry. “Nagaland small tea growers have been appealing to the tea board to redress the long standing grievances; however tea board had turned deaf ear to the pleas of Nagaland small tea growers”, added the association.
The association further stated that Rakesh Saini, executive director, tea board declined to visit tea growers in Nagaland despite several invitations from ANSTGA as well as His Excellency Governor of Nagaland Nikhil Kumar.
Meanwhile the association stated that Basu Deb Benerjee, former tea board chairman had made “many” commitments to small tea growers from Nagaland, but was never carried out.
ANSTGA lamented that when the tea board was manned by such “un-reliable officers”, then it cannot expect any justice. ANSTGA has appealed the ministry in-charge to install/appoint capable and reliable officers/person to head the board for the development of tea industry.
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