Dimapur, May 31 : The Government of India today assured to sanction Rs 30 crore to the Hindustan Paper Corporation, out of which an amount of Rs 12 crore would be made available to the Nagaland Pulp & Paper Company Limited (NPPC Ltd) so that outstanding dues amounting to around Rs 12 crore can be cleared and machineries sent for repairs can be delivered at the earliest.
Chief Minister TR Zeliang convened a meeting this afternoon at his residential office to discuss various issues confronting the revival package of the Tuli Paper Mill. According to Media Cell, CMO, the meeting was attended by Parliamentary Secretary (Industries & Commerce) Amenba Yaden, Chief Secretary, Officials of Industries Department, Rajesh Kumar Singh, Joint Secretary, Department of Heavy Industries, Government of India, Shashi Kanth Jain, CMD of Hindustan Paper Corporation and other officials.
The Chief Minister cited the problems faced by the NPPC Ltd and asked all stakeholders to vigorously pursue to overcome such problems for early revival of the Mill.
He also reminded that the Tuli Area Joint Council Forum had submitted a representation in connection with the revival of the Paper Mill. He instructed that works on the ground should commence without delay. The Chief Minister said that the sentiments of the land owners in the area who have donated their land for the Paper Mill should be respected and they should not be given any reason to be disenchanted.
He pointed out the human problems faced by some 30 trainees who had undergone training, but whose services were yet to be gainfully utilized. The Chief Minister urged the Management to ensure that their services were utilized and paid salaries instead of the stipend they are being given now.
The Chief Minister further insisted that the number of State government officials in the present Board of Directors should be enhanced, and that the Deputy Commissioner of the district should be included in the board. Presently, only the Secretary, Industries and Commerce is a Director in the Board of Directors. He also insisted that a fulltime Managing Director should be appointed for the Tuli Mill.
The Joint Secretary and the CMD agreed to look positively into this matter and assured the Chief Minister that the revival works of the Paper Mill shall start as early as possible.
It may be mentioned that an amount of Rs 552 crore was announced as revival package for the Paper Mill in 2007, but only Rs 54.62 was released. Furthermore, another revival package was announced in June 2013 amounting to Rs 679 crore, out of which Rs 100 crore was sanctioned, but Rs 60 crore was inexplicably diverted by the HPC Ltd. To some other works elsewhere by the former CMD HPC Ltd which was viewed seriously by the Chief Minister. The Chief Secretary of Nagaland Pankaj Kumar asked the Joint Secretary to take up the matter with all seriousness.
