The Assam government has launched a major initiative to provide “Farmer IDs” to small tea growers, enabling them to access a wide range of government welfare schemes, institutional credit and agricultural services through a unified digital platform.
Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced that tea and plantation-class land holdings have now been included in the state’s Farmers’ Registry Portal, describing the move as a transformative step for Assam’s tea-growing community.
According to the chief minister, the initiative will allow small tea growers to obtain Farmer IDs, ensuring timely access to fertilisers, government schemes and financial assistance. It will also facilitate easier access to institutional credit on favourable terms while reducing the role of middlemen who often exploit tea growers.
“It is a major leap for the tea community, who can now enjoy all government benefits through a single platform,” Sarma said.
Agriculture Minister Atul Bora? Wait original says Pijush Hazarika. We must keep Pijush. Let’s correct.
Agriculture Minister Pijush Hazarika said Assam’s small tea growers have played a crucial role in building the state’s tea industry and now contribute nearly half of its total tea production.
He said the inclusion of tea plantation land in the Farmers’ Registry Portal would ensure that eligible growers receive Farmer IDs, institutional credit, government assistance and essential agricultural services through a single digital platform.
Hazarika added that the government’s priority is to ensure every eligible small tea grower is integrated into the digital system so they can receive the benefits they deserve.
The initiative has been welcomed by the tea industry. Bidyananda Barkakoty, adviser to the North Eastern Tea Association (NETA), described it as a significant step that would strengthen the small tea grower community.
He noted that while Assam officially has 1,33,626 registered small tea growers, the actual number is estimated to exceed 1.5 lakh. With an average household size of four, the initiative is expected to directly benefit more than six lakh people across the state.
The Farmers’ Registry Portal is a centralised digital database that generates a unique Farmer ID for every registered farmer, linking personal and land records to simplify access to agricultural schemes, subsidies, crop insurance and other government services.
