Mon Sep 23 23:10:00 UTC 2024: ## Union Minister Kumaraswamy Vows Support to Struggling Tea Gardens in Assam
**Guwahati, Sept 23:** Union Minister for Steel and Heavy Industries, H D Kumaraswamy, has pledged support to revive struggling tea gardens in Assam, owned by the public sector enterprise Andrew Yule.
During a press conference in Guwahati, Kumaraswamy stated his commitment to addressing the economic challenges and hardships faced by the tea garden workers. He acknowledged the need to support the management in alleviating the suffering of the workforce. As a first step, the tea garden workers will receive a 20% Durga Puja bonus, aligning with the benefits provided to workers in other tea gardens.
Kumaraswamy also highlighted his plans to revitalize the cement industry in Assam, with an investment of Rs 700 crore. He expressed the need for a cement manufacturing unit in the northeastern states.
Furthermore, Kumaraswamy discussed the progress of the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles (FAME) policy in Assam. He revealed that over Rs 2,000 crore will be invested in setting up nearly 70,000 battery charging stations across the country, including Assam. The government also plans to procure more than 18,000 e-buses to achieve carbon emission reduction goals.
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