Press Information Bureau

Government of India

Ministry of Commerce & Industry

14-May-2012 16:45 IST

In the first week of April, 2012, a severe cyclonic hailstorm hit the Chopra Block of Uttar Dinajpur District of West Bengal causing some damage to the tea bushes and shade trees, resulting in defoliation. The affected bushes have become unfit for cropping for the next three months.

: The Government is seized of the matter and the Tea Board has called for a report from its field office as well as from the Tea Research Association on the details of the extent of damage and the area affected. Support will be given to the affected small growers under the existing schemes of the Tea Board for providing subsidy for pruning of bushes, technical know-how for restoring bushes to vigour and working capital loan/revolving corpus for Self Help Groups.

This information was given by Shri Jyotiradiya M. Scindia, Minister of State for Commerce & Industry in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha today.

DS/GK

Agricultural disaster relief: government to assess tea plantation hailstorm damage and provide pruning subsidies, technical aid, and loans. Cyclonic hailstorm damage in Chopra Block left tea bushes unfit for cropping for three months; the Tea Board will obtain field and research reports to assess extent of damage and provide support to affected small growers under existing schemes, including subsidies for pruning, technical assistance to restore vigour, and working capital loans or a revolving corpus for Self Help Groups.