Chizokho Vero
Kohima | August 24
Minister for Industries and Commerce H. Khekiho Zhimomi today asserted that the State Government has been vigorously pursuing and taken all necessary steps for the revival of Nagaland Pulp and Paper Company Limited (NPPC).
Replying to MLA C. Apok Jamir in starred question in the floor of the house, the Minister said out of total 12,500 ht of forest land under the possession of the State government, it has proposed to bring presently 8,000 ht under captive plantation programme of bamboo exclusively for NPPC mills at Tuli.
“Plantation scheme has to be finalized and implementation of the same shall be undertaken on immediate basis to get cost-benefit in due course,” the minister said adding that the state government was examining a policy to promote horticulture forests or bamboo forests.
This would be much more economically viable for the people, he said adding that agri and allied sectors have initiated necessary steps in this respect.
The Chief Minister has directed the task force on Bamboo to immediately go into the details of land acquired by the state for the purpose of Paper Mill Tuli and or bamboo cultivation. The task force shall take action to immediately re-process the land acquired by the government and a management plan for sustainable bamboo cultivation should be drawn up involving the communities concerned.
On matter concerning the supply of power during the construction period of the mill, the power department shall make all effort to provide the required power supply to the mill.
On law and order for the Mill, one battalion of Nagaland Police is already stationed at Paper Mill Tuli and is occupying 26 buildings of the NPPC. The stationing of the battalion at Tuli shall be made permanent and the housing management is to be worked out with the Paper Mill Tuli, the Minister said.
On matters concerning problems of ILP for the Mill workers, the home department shall formulate a policy to evolve special ILP modalities for the workers of the Paper Mill, Tuli for free movement.
The Minister also said that the Roads & Bridges Department was drawing up an action plan for implementing the foothill road in conjunction with requirements of the paper mill at Tuli. The transport department has been directed to draw up an action plan for developing a railway line along with the foothill roads.
Action Plan for taking up bamboo extracting road is being drawn up and action being taken to garner the funds for its implementation. The state government shall provide Rs. 10 crore equity at par with Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC). The state government shall pursue review of equity-holdings of the state government so as to increase its share holding.
Other action packages from the state government include agreement to write-off Rs. 331 lakhs lying in current account payable by NPPC, to agree to bear the cost of CISF deployment in the mill, to agree to write-off the electricity charges of Rs. 259 lakhs, to exempt NPPC from power cuts during construction, the revival period, if power is drawn from the grid and to agree to grant 100 per cent exemption from payment of Cess.
It is learnt that the total cost of the revival of the project amounts to Rs. 552.43 crore. The minister also tabled the revival packages given by the central government.
Morung Express News
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