Latest News | Govt Implementing Scheme for Promotion of Tea Sector: Patel

New Delhi, Aug 6 (PTI) The central government, through the Tea Board, is implementing a scheme, TDPS, for the promotion of the tea sector in states, including Uttarakhand, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry Anupriya Patel said on Friday.

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In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, the minister said that the activities under the Tea Development and Promotion Scheme (TDPS) includes activities for improvement in tea production, productivity, quality up-gradation, research and extension, promotion of exports and value addition by providing financial and technical assistance to growers and other stakeholders of the industry.

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The Uttarakhand Tea Development Board set up by the state is also mandated for the overall development of the sector in Uttarakhand, she said, while replying to a question by Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni if the government is mulling over expansion of tea production in Uttarakhand, keeping in view the fact that it is being grown in the state for more than hundred years.

Patel said that a total of Rs 2.73 crore has been spent from 2017-18 to 2021-22 (till June 2021) for the tea sector in the state.

"More emphasis is being given on quality improvement of tea, cluster formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) to move them up value chain, extending assistance to the small growers, setting up of mini tea factories, for small tea growers (STGs)/ SHGs to turn them entrepreneur," she added.

The Tea Board is also imparting training and conducting workshops for the small tea growers on tea husbandry, good agricultural practices, capacity building of small growers, she added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)