The Centre’s decision to do away with the scheme of providing subsidised ration to the tea garden labourers and the failure of the Assam Government to implement the National Food Security Mission will affect a total of 19,28,719 families of tea garden management in Assam.
Under the Essential Commodities Act 1955, each tea garden labourer in Assam has to gets 3.26 kgs of food grains (rice or atta) every week at 55 paisa per kg from the tea garden management.Similarly, the dependant of the labourers is entitled 2.44 kgs of food grains at the same rate per week. The children get 1.22 kgs of the ration per week at the subsidised rate.
“It’s a system which has been in force in Assam since more than last 60 years. How can the Central Government take such a decision to remove it all of sudden and without making an alternative arrangement,” Assam Industry Minister Pradyut Bordoloi said.“The Assam Government wants to start the national Food Security Mission. But the Centre is not allowing us to go ahead without completion of the digitisation of over 2.52 crore beneficiaries in the State. We have started the process of digitisation but it takes time to digitise the whole process,” he said.
“We have already taken up the matter with the Centre requesting them not to discontinue the scheme,” he said.Meanwhile, the Assam Industry Minister also slammed the Central Government for its decision to suspend the benefits and incentives under the North East Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy (NEIIPP).