10 Andrew Yule tea estates in Assam face sale amid financial woes
The tea estates include Khowang, Bamun, Tingkhong, Rajgarh, Basmatia & Desam in Dibrugarh district, Hingrijan in Charaideo district, Hoolungooree, Murphulani & Bogijan in Golaghat district
Dibrugarh, June 18: At least ten tea estates operated by Andrew Yule & Company Limited in the State are on the verge of being sold, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told on Tuesday.
Andrew Yule is a Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India. The company has been struggling financially, leading to the proposal to sell off these tea gardens.
The tea estates include Khowang, Bamun, Tingkhong, Rajgarh, Basmatia and Desam in Dibrugarh district, Hingrijan in Charaideo district, Hoolungooree, Murphulani and Bogijan in Golaghat district.
The Chief Minister said that the State government has already taken a resolution that if Andrew Yule Group fails to run the tea estates further, the government will sell away the tea estates. “In this context, paper works are underway and the process has made significant progress,” he informed.
Earlier, in August 2024 the Assam Tea Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (TEPFO) has proposed the sale of tea gardens operated by Andrew Yule & Co. Ltd.
The proposal came in response to severe financial difficulties faced by the central public sector undertaking (PSU), which manages 10 to 15 tea gardens in Assam.
Vice Chairman of TEPFO, Terash Gowala, while speaking to the press outside the Assembly highlighted the financial strain on the Andrew Yule tea gardens.
“The gardens are struggling financially, and labourers are not receiving their wages on time. Rumours are also rife about selling these gardens to private entities,” Gowala said.
The BJP leader further noted that the TEPFO are open to the idea of selling the gardens to private parties, provided it leads to their better management and functioning.