There’s some good news for the Indian tea industry which has been demanding that tea be declared the ‘national drink’ of India. A parliamentary standing committee on commerce, which was constituted on August 31, 2011, and submitted its report on August 9, 2012, has recommended that the beverage be given the status of ‘national drink’.

“The joint forum of Assam Tea Planters’ Association (ATPA), North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) and Bharatiya Cha Parishad (BCP), is extremely happy to know about the recommendations by such a high powered committee of the level of department related parliamentary standing committee on commerce,” said Bidyananda Barkakoty, chairman of NETA.