D.P. Maheswari,President, The Tea Association of India (TAI), reportedly urged the Union Government and the Tea Board to reintroduce subsidy for rejuvenation of tea bushes in the plains of Assam and West Bengal.
Maheswari was quoted as saying that “Right now the rejuvenation subsidy is available only for the tea bushes in the hilly regions but we strongly feel it should be extended also to cover the bushes in the plains.”
he further added that we're not asking for something extraordinary as the subsidy was there till 2005 when it was withdrawn, presumably because the Government at that time was working on the Special Purpose Tea Fund scheme.
Further stressing upon the point that the re-plantation vis-à-vis rejuvenation was costly and pay period long, explaining the lukewarm response to the SPTF giving accent on re-plantation.