CM slams duty-free Nepal tea, seeks Centre’s help to save Darj tea
The Statesman | 23 May 2025
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged chief secretary Manoj Pant to raise multiple cross-border concerns with the central government—ranging from the duty-free import of Nepal tea to flood threats originating from Nepal and Bhutan.
At an administrative review meeting held at Uttarkanya, the chief minister expressed concern over the adverse impact of Nepal tea imports on the Darjeeling tea industry. “We are not against our neighbouring country, but this is unfair trade practice. Nepal exports tea to India without any duty, while Indian tea faces a 40 per cent export duty when entering Nepal. This imbalance is unacceptable,” she said.
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She warned that low-cost Nepal tea is being sold in India as Darjeeling tea by unscrupulous traders, threatening the authenticity and market of the prized Darjeeling brand. “This cannot be tolerated. The central government must act to protect Darjeeling tea,” Miss Banerjee asserted.
The chief minister directed labour minister Moloy Ghatak to monitor the situation and ensure that Nepal tea is not passed off as Darjeeling tea in Indian markets. She also called for strict quality testing of Nepal tea imports in accordance with Indian food safety norms.
It may be noted that Nepal benefits from several exemptions under the Indo-Nepal Treaty, including duty-free tea exports to India.
CM urged a review of such provisions to prevent harm to local industries.
In the same meeting, the chief minister raised the issue of frequent floods and erosion along the Ganges in Malda and Murshidabad. She instructed the chief secretary to press the Centre for immediate financial assistance. “The Farakka Barrage Project earlier maintained 180 km of riverbank. Now, it only manages 20 km. We demanded Rs 1,064 crore from the Centre for flood and erosion control, but not a single rupee has been released,” Miss Banerjee said.
The state, she noted, has already taken up several projects costing Rs 446 crore, Rs 225 crore, and Rs 11 crore, respectively, to manage erosion and flooding in vulnerable stretches of the Ganges. “Even during Jyoti Basu’s tenure, Rs 700 crore in central funds was pending,” she added.
Miss Banerjee also highlighted the flood threats posed by upstream water release from Nepal’s Kosi river system, which affects parts of Jharkhand and Malda.
In addition, the chief minister urged the chief secretary to request the inclusion of a West Bengal representative in the Indo-Bhutan Joint River Commission. “When Bhutan releases excess water, several districts in north Bengal are hit. We need a seat at the table to ensure timely information and coordinated flood management,” she said.