Durgabari (Tripura);Tripura CM Manik Saha on Sunday inaugurated the state’s first gas-based tea processing centre at Durgabari. In his address, the CM said that the tea industry is a major source of employment for Tripura. "We are striving to provide all necessary facilities to the tea cultivators in our state. Our government is planning to develop the tea industry in the state by setting up an auction centre in Agartala and facilitating exports to neighbouring Bangladesh. Gas-based processing plants help reduce pollution as well as increase production efficiency."
He said that the government was trying to revive sick tea gardens and upgrade them by adopting the latest technologies. "We shall work towards setting up an auction centre and promoting exports to Bangladesh in a time-bound manner. We have already listed the industries and commerce department as the nodal agency for the purpose. The soil of Tripura was conducive to cultivating tea. Talking about tea garden workers, the CM said the government was working towards socio-economic development of tea garden workers. The state tea industry is over 100 years old with the Hiracherra tea estate in the North Tripura district dating back to 1916. Currently, the North Eastern state has 14,000 tea workers and 2,800 small tea growers."