The constitution of Tea board was made under the Tea act, 1953. The Tea Act, was enacted for following purposes
- to provide for the control by the Union of the Tea industry, including the control, in pursuance of the International Agreement now in force, of the cultivation of tea in, and
- of the export of tea from, India and
- for that purpose, to establish a Tea Board and
- levy a duty of excise on tea produced in India.
Definitions of Tea and Tea seed under the act
“Tea” means the plant Camellia Sinensis (L) O. Kuntze as well as all varieties of the product known commercially as tea made from the leaves of the plant Camelia Sinensis (L) O. Kuntze including green tea;
“Tea seed” includes seeds, roots, stumps, cuttings, buds, and any living portion of the plant Camellia Sinensis (L) O. Kuntze which may be used to propagate that plant.
Constitution of Tea Board
The Act gives the power to Central Government to establish a Tea Board. The Board shall consist of a Chairman and other members not exceeding forty as the Central Government may think expedient, to be appointed from among persons who are in its opinion capable of representing, ―
- owners of tea estates and gardens and growers of tea;
- persons employed in tea estates and gardens;
- manufacturers of tea;
- dealers including both exporters and internal traders of tea;
- consumers;
- Parliament;
- the Governments of the principal tea-growing States;
- such other persons or class of persons, who, in the opinion of the Central Government, ought to be represented on the Board.
Functions of the Board.
It shall be the duty of the Board to promote, by such measures as it thinks fit, the development under the control of the Central Government of the tea industry, and such measures may be as followings-
- regulating the production and extent of cultivation of tea;
- improving the quality of tea;
- promoting co-operative efforts among growers and manufacturers of tea;
- undertaking, assisting or encouraging scientific, technological and economic research and maintaining or assisting in the maintenance of demonstration farms and manufacturing stations;
- assisting in the control of insects and other pests and diseases affecting tea;
- regulating the sale and export of tea;
- training in tea testing and fixing grade standards of tea;
- increasing the consumption in India and elsewhere of tea and carrying on propaganda for that purpose;
- registering and licensing of manufacturers, brokers, tea waste dealers and persons engaged in the business of blending tea;
- improving the marketing of tea in India and elsewhere;
- subscribing to the share capital of, or entering into any agreement or other arrangement (whether by way of partnership, joint venture or in any other manner) with, anybody corporate for the purpose of promoting the development of tea industry or for promotion and marketing of tea, in India or elsewhere;
- collecting statistics from growers, manufacturers, dealers and such other persons as may be prescribed on any matter relating to the tea industry; the publication of statistics so collected or portions thereof or extracts therefrom;
- securing better working conditions and the provisions and improvement of amenities and incentives for workers.
Control of the board over the extension of tea cultivation
- For plantation of tea or to decide not to plant tea on a certain land, the previous permission of the board is required,
- No tea area shall be replaced by planting in tea or area not planted with tea unless permission has been granted in writing by or on behalf of the Board.
- No tea shall be exported unless covered by a licence issued by or on behalf of the Board.