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Small tea growers ask CM to allot land pattas

By Staff Correspondent

DIBRUGARH, July 6 - Small tea growers have urged Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal to initiate the process of allotment of land pattas to the small tea growers in the State to enhance economic activity.

The small tea growers� body � All Assam Small Tea Growers� Association (AASTGA) who submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister here recently reiterated that about 70% of the small tea growers in the State were deprived of the Central and the State Government schemes as also financial assistance from banks for lack of myadi pattas since the past 29 years. The small tea growers� body asked the Chief Minister to expedite the process as this could give an economic boost to the tea industry. They also requested Sonowal to exempt the small tea growers from government premium.

Among various other demands, the AASTGA also suggested to the Chief Minister to come up with a clear and scientific formula to determine the price of green tea leaves so that the small tea growers and their workers were benefited. It has also called for streamlining of the collection of green leaf cess from the growers. They alleged that the factory owners including those in the organised sector were not issuing receipts for the cess collected since 2009 in violation of existing rules. The small tea growers said that the collection of tax must be stopped if receipts are not issued.

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