E-auction by Tea Board to begin by November: Jairam Ramesh

Kolkata, Mar 18 (UNI) The much-awaited E-auction of Indian tea by the Tea Board will start from November this year ending all speculation about its implementation, Union Minister of state for Commerce and Industries Jairam Ramesh informed here today.

Speaking to newsmen after a marathon two hour-long meeting with the Tea Board Chairman and other senior officials, Dr Ramesh said a high power committee under the Chairmanship of Tata Tea Managing Director P.T.Sangpuria had been set up which would in turn would appoint a suitable consultant soon to start the E- Auction.

"This would end a long standing demand from the operators to help make the entire auction procedure transparent and simple", the Union Minister pointed out.

When his attention was drawn towards the reported death of a number of tea garden workers in West Bengal following closure of several sick gardens for various reasons, Dr Ramesh said the Centre was preparing a detailed blue print to overcome the problem in consultation with the respective state governmernts.

The programme was not only aimed at ensuring all round improvement of the socio-economic condition of the hapless tea garden workers, but would also help them join hands with a number of government sponsored rural development programmes,the minister said.

He said in an effort to reopen all the 39 closed tea gardens in the country, including 20 in Kerala and 17 in West Bengal, his ministry had sought suggestions from different workers unions about the revamping schemes to which many responded.

"After thorough scrutinies we have found that the suggestion put forward by Kerala based KDHP garden was most acceptable because of its viability", Dr Ramesh felt and informed that under a joint stock company with 30 per cent shares going to the workers, KDHP announced 14 per cent dividend this year after recording considerable profits.

UNI