More cash for Bengal tea & tourism

AVIJIT SINHA, TT, Siliguri, Feb. 11: The budget tabled by finance minister Amit Mitra yesterday has turned out to be a mixed bag for north Bengal. While the tea industry has been relieved of a cess charged on tealeaves, the increase in the allocations for the north Bengal development department and the tourism department has been marginal in comparison to the last fiscal. Tea The finance minister announced a waiver on the rural education and employment cess that the tea industry needs to pay for each kilo of leaves. Both tea estates and small tea growers come under the purview of the twin cess, charged at the rate of 12 paisa per kilo of leaves. Both the cess has been waived till March 31, 2018. The data available with the industry shows that in 2016, the annual production was around 357 million kg of tea. To produce a kilo of tea, 4.5kg of leaves are needed. This means, the industry will save around Rs 190 million, even if production remains the same in the next financial year. "Average tea prices in auctions have increased by Rs 9 or so in the past one year compared to the year before. In such a situation, this decision will help the industry. Tea planters and small tea growers can use the money saved in meeting other expenses," said Bijoygopal Chakraborty, the president of the Confederation of Indian Small Tea Growers' Associations (Cista). Development The north Bengal development department that Mamata Banerjee formed in 2011 to expedite infrastructure development has got Rs 575.65 crore, only 10 per cent more than last year. "We were expecting a higher allocation... It would have helped us politically," said a Trinamul leader. According to him, the government's decision to raise the allocation to Rs 375 crore in 2014-15 from Rs 250 crore in 2013-14 had worked wonders for the party as well as for the region. "Several roads, bridges, government buildings and other infrastructure have been developed by department in the past six years. The department needs to carry out more infrastructure development," a Trinamul leader in Siliguri said. "As the rural polls are due next year, we were expecting a major rise in the budget allocation for the department. We believe the state leaders are aware of the situation and will infuse funds from other departments" the leader added. Tourism The tourism department will receive more funds in the upcoming fiscal than the current fiscal. In 2017-18, the state has allocated Rs 335.75 crore, against Rs 295 crore in 2016-17. The additional funds, tourism stakeholders said, would be used for national and global promotion of the state. "The inflow of tourists is increasing every year. That is why the state needs to draw an aggressive campaign plan to attract more tourists and compete with other states," said Samrat Sanyal, the executive president of the Eastern Himalaya Travel & Tour Operators' Association. More cash The allocations for the forest, backward classes welfare and tribal developments have been increased.