Guwahati: Union Minister of Heavy Industries, H. D. Kumaraswamy has expressed concern over the economic difficulties faced by the Andrew Yule Group’s tea gardens in Assam and its impact on the tea garden wage earners.
Addressing the media in Guwahati, the Union Minister expressed his wish to visit the tea gardens soon and devise strategies for their rejuvenation.
Kumaraswamy was accompanied by Assam Industries, & Commerce Minister Bimal Borah.
He also acknowledged Minister Bimal Bora’s efforts to solicit the union minister’s intervention to help the management mitigate the difficulties faced by the tea garden workers.
Kumaraswamy stated that the tea garden employees would receive a 20 percent bonus.
The union minister also mentioned his recent visit to the Cement Corporation of India Ltd. in Bokajan and his proposed investment of Rs 700 crore to revive the cement industry. He emphasized the need for a cement production facility in the Northeastern states.
He also expressed satisfaction with the implementation of the FAME policy (Faster Adoption & Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles) in Assam.
Discussing the progress of FAME, he stated that over Rs 2000 crore would be invested in battery charging stations, resulting in the installation of nearly 70,000 such stations nationwide.
Additionally, he mentioned that more than 18,000 electric buses would be purchased to achieve the goal of reducing carbon emissions.
ALSO READ: 86% decline in rhino poaching in Assam since 2016: CM Himanta Biswa Sarma
He said, “To improve the country’s GDP growth, it is also important to visit Northeastern states and get an idea for better investment planning and development proposals.”
Dr. Lakshmanan S, Secretary to the Government of Assam, Industries, Commerce & PE Department, also attended the event.
