Panchthar, August 29

Tea Expansion Project office of the federal government in Lalikharka of Phidim Municipality-3 is unable to run any programme due to lack of budget.

The office has 164 ropani land, a modern building and five employees and five helpers. But, it is unable to carry out programmes to promote tea and coffee due to lack of budget, while a big chunk of its land remains unused.

According to project Chief Prem Thing, the project aims to test new technologies and set up a nursery for expansion of tea and coffee plantations across the country.

Besides, the project also organises training, symposiums and seminars for farmers iengaged in coffee and tea plantation. “Due to budget crunch we are unable to run regular programmes,” said Dipak Chaudhary, an employee, adding that the office had received Rs 150,000 from Tea and Coffee Development Board under the

federal government last fiscal to run three trainings.

The project had planted tea on143 ropani land in Phidim, Chilingdin and Ektin athree decades ago. But for want of care, tea plants did not yield much. As many as 11 districts in the country including Panchthar, Ilam and Dhankuta have Tea Expansion Project offices.

These offices are under the jurisdiction of the federal government. Stakeholders have demanded that the offices be restructured as per the federal set up.