Closed tea gardens in India are all set to re-open soon.

The Central government has finalized a financial relief package for 33 closed tea gardens across the country, Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh said on Friday.

He said the Cabinet is to approve the package to re-open these tea gardens in 45 days.

Ramesh told reporters here that the Commerce Ministry had already submitted a revival package to the Finance Ministry. He said the Cabinet is expected to give its approval within 45 days.

Out of the 33 closed gardens, 17 are in Kerala, 14 in West Bengal and two in Assam. Altogether, the livelihood of 35,000 families were at stake due to the closure of these tea gardens.

The minister said the package would include rescheduling of loans by banks, sanction of working capital and interest subsidy, issue of fresh term loans, and waiver of Tea Board dues and penalties on statutory payments.

While the banks would spend Rs 80 crore (Rs 800 million) over the next five years, the government would provide Rs 58 crore over the same period.

Meanwhile, the government has asked the tea garden owners to make fresh investments for improving the plantation.

One closed tea garden had already been re-opened in Kerala in April and nine more are to be re-opened this month.