Guwahati, Apr 1 :The Centre has released three months’ salary for the employees of Hindustan Paper Corp’s defunct Nagaon and Cachar paper mills amidst attempt to revive the units, an official release said.
“Following the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministry for Heavy Industries & Public Sector Enterprises released three months’ salary of the employees of Nagaon Paper Mill at Jagiroad and Cachar Paper Mill at Panchgram,” a release from Assam Chief Minister’s Office said.
It, however, did not mention the months.
The Centre has released the fund for paying the due salaries of the employees working at the two paper mills of the state, the statement added.
“On the other hand, the process of revival for the paper mills has also started,” the release issued last night, said.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal has been pursuing the matter with the Centre and held discussions with the Prime Minister and Union Minister for Heavy Industries Anand Geete for releasing the salary of the employees as well as reviving the two units.
Sonowal thanked the Centre for releasing salaries of the employees weeks ahead of the Rongali Bihu festival in the state, the release said.
On February 1, the Assam government said that the Centre had decided to hand over the Cachar and Nagaon paper mills to a third party to revive the units at an estimated cost of Rs 1,800 crore.
Assam Commerce and Industry Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary had said that although the management is likely to be handed over to a third party for the revival package, the ownership will remain with the Centre.
The two units have a total staff strength of around 1,500 and installed capacities of one lakh tonnes each per annum.
The Nagaon unit’s last production day was March 13, 2017 with an output of 270 tonnes against an installed capacity of 300 tonnes a day, while the production at Cachar Paper Mill has been stopped since October 2015.
