Morning cuppa

Strategy to enliven tea
R. SURYAMURTHY
Ramesh: Action front

New Delhi, Jan. 21: The Centre has asked the Bengal government to allow horticulture and tourism in sick tea gardens to make them financially viable.

“The problems faced by the financially weak tea gardens are enormous and need to be addressed at the earliest. The way out is to make them financially viable,” said Jairam Ramesh, minister of state for commerce.

“The Bengal government should allow five per cent of the garden land for horticulture and tourism to prevent them from turning sick,” Ramesh said. For this, the state government will have to amend the land ceiling act as the existing law debars any such activity beyond 24 acres.