Guwahati, July 7: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday informed that the state government was exploring all options to set up a new paper mill on the land housing the defunct Cachar Paper Mill at Panchgram.
“The Assam government will make all efforts for opening a new paper mill at the plot of land of Cachar Paper Mill, be it through private-public partnership or otherwise, while the land of Nagaon Paper Mill in Jagiroad will be utilised for expansion of the capital region,” Sarma said during the ceremonial distribution of a relief package among former employees and workmen of Nagaon Paper Mill and Cachar Paper Mill of Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (liquidated) in a programme held at Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra here.
This humanitarian gesture of the Assam government taken through this relief package will cost an amount of Rs. 810.02 crore and benefit 2751 employees of both the mills, including 2003 regular employees and 748 contractual workers.
Speaking on the occasion, Sarma said the Assam government took the step considering the hardships endured by the former employees, workmen and their families owing to non-operation of the mills for the past five to six years.
“When the BJP-led government first came to power in the state, it took several steps such as providing free electricity, scholarships to children of the former employees, etc. In the second term, a decision was taken to buy both the paper mills following guidance from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to address the issues faced by the families of the ex-employees,” Sarma said.
He informed that during this period the state government held several round of discussions with the employees unions of both the paper mills and took the decision to pay net salary and wages to the employees and workmen that were due till the time of closure of the paper mills, providing employment to eligible employees of the mills in state government.
The chief minister said that under the relief package, a trust would be created with financial outlay of Rs 25 crore which would be utilised for various purposes such as medical benefit, educational support and social security of the ex-employees and workmen.
The chief minister urged the former employees of the paper mills to make judicious use of the money received by them at the function here on Thursday.
He also asked employees to bring to the notice of the government any anomaly in a PSU (public sector undertaking) so that appropriate measures could be taken to curb such an anomaly.
It may be noted that while the state government has already initiated steps for providing employment to 84 eligible ex-employees of the mills in the state government, the chief minister on Thursday distributed appointment letters to 66 such employees on the occasion.
“Today is an important day as we have finally reached a definite conclusion regarding extending compensatory benefits to ex-employees and ex-workers of HPC paper mills at Jagiroad and Panchgram in consultation with labour unions of the two mills,” Sarma later tweeted.
The chief minister further said that the state government has planned to construct an eight-lane superhighway for speedy transportation between Guwahati and Jagiroad.