Guwahati, Dec 22 (IANS): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday held a meeting with Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha and other stakeholders and discussed the challenges and road ahead for the tea gardens under Assam Tea Corporation (ATC).

The meeting discussed the ways for revamping the tea gardens under ATC. It also observed that in the wake of difficulties being faced in managing the tea gardens, ATC may lease out some of them by retaining their ownership.

Sarma said that if the groups that manage tea gardens fail to disburse the dues and other entitlements of the tea workers, ATC will have the right to take over the management of those tea gardens.

It was also decided that for leasing out tea gardens and to safeguard the pay structure and other entitlements of the tea workers, the government will constitute a three-member committee each for Barak and Brahmaputra valleys.

Minister for Tea Tribe Welfare Sanjay Kishan; Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha President Paban Singh Ghatowar; Assam Tea Corporation Ltd Chairman Rajdeep Goala; Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha General Secretary Rupesh Gowala; and Principal Secretary to CM Samir Kumar Sinha were present at the meeting, among others.