DOOMDOOMA , July 26 - Tinsukia District Committee of All Assam Small Tea Growers Association ( AASTGA ) has demanded the government to fix the minimum support price (MSP) of green tea leaves according to the recommendation of Swaminathan Committee.
In a statement, AASTGA , Tinsukia District Committee president Punyya Rajkhowa said that in 2004, the Government of India had appointed a commission under the chairmanship of eminent agricultural scientist Dr M S Swaminathan to fix the minimum support price (MSP) of the productions of the farmers. The commission recommended the C+ formula in order to fix the minimum support price (MSP) of green leaves. According to this formula , the minimum support price of the agricultural products is to be fixed by adding 50 per cent with the production cost.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also promised to implement the recommendations of Swaminathan Committee in the greater interest of the farmers. However, no concrete measure is yet be taken . Now, the state government unilaterally has fixed the wages of the labourers working in the gardens of the small tea growers at Rs. 244.56 per day, which according to the small tea growers, is impossible to pay.
In the statement, Tinsukia District Committee, AASTGA president Punyya Rajkhowa urged the government to implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee while fixing the price of the green tea leaves produced by the small tea growers.
It may be recalled that the small tea growers of the state have been playing a pivotal role to the overall growth of the tea industry. However, their demands are yet to be fulfilled by the state government. �We demand immediate action from the state government side,� the growers said.
