Tea Rehab Package to be ready by mid July: Ramesh

Kolkata, Jun 14 (UNI) The Tea Rehabilitation Package for 33 closed tea gardens across the country will be ready by third week of July, Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said here today.

''The package will receive the approval of Union Finance Ministry on June 26 and then placed in Cabinet for approval,'' he told mediapersons.

Of the 33 closed tea gardens, 14 are in West Bengal, 17 in Kerala and two in Assam. While one closed tea garden in Kerala was reopened last month, five more are slated to open in the state.

The Centre is also is in the process of developing Rs 57.35-crore rehabilitation financial package for the closed tea gardens.

The package envisages restructuring of outstanding bank loans, waiving of Tea Board loans and penal charges towards PF dues, providing fresh working capital from banks and term loan facilities under the Tea Board's Special Purpose Tea Fund.

UNI