DIMAPUR, MAY 31 (MExN): The Government of India (GoI) has assured to sanction Rs 30 crore to the Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC), out of which an amount of Rs 12 crore would be made available to the Nagaland Pulp & Paper Company Limited (NPPC Ltd). The amount will clear outstanding dues amounting to around Rs 12 crore and machineries sent for repairs would be delivered at the earliest.
Informing this, a press release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang had convened a meeting on Tuesday at his residential office to discuss various issues confronting the revival package of the Tuli Paper Mill.
The Chief Minister pointed out that out of the Rs 100 crore released by the Ministry of Heavy Industries in 2013, Rs 60 crore was diverted by HPC Ltd, and asked the Ministry to find the underlying cause of the matter and ensure that mistakes and errors are rectified.
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 the sentiments of the landowners 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.
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 concerned 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.
