[1]Assam's tea industry on Wednesday reacted sharply to Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation's recent claim that milk and not tea should be declared the national drink.
"Tea is a common man's beverage and the cost of a cup of AMUL milk is more than double the cost of a cup of tea", North East Tea Association's (NETA) Chairman Bidyanand Barkakoty said.
Even in Gujarat where AMUL has its plant, the per capita consumption of tea is above the national average and they are known for drinking quality tea, he said.
In Gujarat, people traditionally welcome their guests with a good cup of tea, Barkakoty added.
Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia had during a recent visit to Assam come out strongly in favour of declaring tea as a national drink citing several factors, which makes a strong case for according it the status of a national drink.
GCMMF Managing Director R.S. Sodhi had subsequently claimed that milk is the world's original energy drink for all age groups and healthy nations "There is no need to declare anything and everybody knows milk is the national drink and the country has emerged as the world's largest milk producer", he said.
Assam Tea Planters's Association (ATPA) Chairman A.R. Kasera said that tea is the cheapest beverage in the world after water and is the second largest employer of the organised sector after Indian Railways.
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