Governor of Uttarakhand Aziz Qureshi has called for promoting tea tourism in the State by linking the tea plantations across the State with tourism activities.
After visiting the tea garden at Shyamkhet in Nainital's Bhowali area, he maintained that integrating tea gardens with the tourism in the State could prove more beneficial for all concerned. More so, it would go a long way in adding to the overall development of the State, he added.At the same time, the Governor has directed the officials concerned present on this occasion to prepare a working plan on the matter so that tea production could be enhanced in the hill State.
He has also emphasised on the need to explore opportunities for tea farming so that tea production could be enhanced in the State which will also help strengthen sources of income for the people associated with tea cultivation. More so, the Governor has also called for maintaining quality of the tea produced in different tea processing units of Uttarakhand.
He has asked the officials concerned of the Uttarakhand Tea Development Board to prepare tea at par with that of Darjeeling. Besides, Governor Qureshi has stressed on the need for modernisation of tea infrastructure in the State. Among other things, he has also called for setting up a modern tea processing unit so that better quality tea could be prepared. located about 15 km away from the lake city Nainital, the Shyamkhet tea garden is spread across 30 acre of land.
The Uttarakhand Tea Development Board (UTDB) has taken this piece of land from the Army School, Ghorakhal on lease, as the officials concerned informed. A tea processing unit has also been set up at the Shyamkhet tea garden, producing special Uttarakhand tea. Notably, Champawat, Almora,Pithoragarh and Nainitala districts are key tea producers in the Kumaon region.