Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal informed that the Assam Gas Company Limited has been instructed to forego the minimum demand charge obtainable from the 409 tea gardens in the state for providing gas and he said that this step would greatly help the tea industry in its revival.

Sonowal on Friday held a meeting with Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha at his residence at Dibrugarh and discussed about various challenges faced by the tea industry in view of the COVID-19 pandemic and measures taken to overcome those challenges.

In the meeting, the ChiefMinister said the state government has been taking various steps on prioritybasis to ensure development of the tea sector as tea industry is very importantfor Assam's economic progress. Thanking the tea community for resumingactivities in tea gardens while maintaining social distancing protocols set bythe health department, the Chief Minister also appreciated Assam Chah MazdoorSangha for its role in this regard.

He also said the deputycommissioners have been directed to ensure that labourers in the 14 tea gardensunder Assam Tea Company along with other small tea gardens do not have to faceany difficulty during the lockdown and he has reiterated that instruction inall the review meetings with the DCs.

Assam Chah Mazdoor Sangha presented a cheque of Rs 1 lakh 25 thousand to the Chief Minister as contribution towards the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.