February 02 (TSP Bangla) – The Union Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Sunday has left stakeholders in north Bengal’s tea belt disappointed, as no specific measures were announced for the tea industry.
It was felt by several tea planters that the sector had been overlooked, even as other cash crops received prominent mention in the Budget proposals. The Darjeeling tea industry, which has been facing financial strain along with challenges posed by climate conditions and geopolitical factors, was said to be in need of sustained support, particularly given its status as a geographical indication (GI) product.
In her Budget speech, Sitharaman announced support for high-value crops to diversify farm output, improve productivity and enhance farmers’ incomes. Assistance was proposed for crops such as coconut, sandalwood, cocoa and cashew in coastal areas, agar trees in the Northeast, and nuts including almonds, walnuts and pine nuts in hilly regions. A coconut promotion scheme was also proposed to boost competitiveness by replacing old and unproductive trees with new saplings and introducing improved varieties in major coconut-growing states.
However, no similar announcement was made for the tea sector.
Industry representatives have said that the omission was discouraging. It was pointed out that the tea industry has been grappling with multiple challenges, including climate change and recurring natural calamities, and that financial packages were expected to help the sector tide over the crisis.
Disappointment was also expressed by small tea growers. It was noted that more than 95 per cent of the country’s tea production comes from Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam. With Assembly elections approaching in Bengal, expectations had been raised that specific steps would be announced for the development of the state’s tea industry.
A different view was taken by Darjeeling BJP MP Raju Bista. It was stated that the proposed ₹10,000 crore SME growth fund and liquidity support through a trade receivables discounting system could benefit small tea growers, manufacturers, tourism operators and handicraft units in the region.
North Bengal’s tea belt employs around three lakh workers and is considered politically significant, influencing the outcome in at least 15 Assembly seats. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the BJP secured all five seats in Alipurduar, four out of seven in Jalpaiguri, and seven of nine in Cooch Behar. The Darjeeling and Kurseong seats in the hills were also won by the party.
In recent years, efforts have been made by the ruling Trinamool Congress to strengthen its presence in the tea belt. Welfare initiatives such as housing, crèches, school buses and ambulance services have been extended to tea garden workers in the region.
