The Hindu Business Line : Tea advisory panel set up

THE Union Commerce Ministry has formed a high-powered Tea Advisory Committee (TAC) to monitor the implementation of the action plan prepared at the Stakeholders' Conference held in New Delhi on 16-17 September, last year.

The TAC will be a 31-member body with four special invitees. Representatives of producers, exporters, traders, auctioneers, small growers, bought leaf factories, trade unions, financial institutions and research organisations would be on the body.

Mr C.K. Dhanuka, Chairman of Indian Tea Association, Mr D.P. Maheswari, Chairman, Tea Committee of Upasi, Mr K.S. David, Chairman of Darjeeling Planters' Association, Mr Suresh Bansal, President of Tea Association of India and Mr D.N. Baruah, Chairman of Assam Tea Planters' Association, have been made members of the committee.

The committee will be headed by the Additional Secretary (Plantations) in the Union Commerce Ministry. The Chairman of the Tea Board will be the Vice-Chairman of TAC. The first meeting of the TAC is scheduled to be held in Kolkata on January 27 and is scheduled to consider five major aspects of the tea industry namely production, labour, taxation and legislation, market and R&D.

Issues such as review of the Plantation Labour Act, 1951, rationalisation of the agricultural income tax, restructuring of outstanding provident fund dues, enforcement of the PFA Act are also likely to be considered by the committee.

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