Centre has assured to sanction Rs 30 crores to the Hindustan Paper Corporation, out of which an amount of Rs. 12 crores would be made available to the Nagaland Pulp & Paper Company Limited (NPPC Ltd), a statement from the chief minister’s office (CMO) stated. The amount (Rs. 12 crores) would clear the outstanding dues, so that the machineries sent for repairs can be delivered at the earliest, CMO added.
On Tuesday, Nagaland chief minister T.R. Zeliang convened a meeting at his residential office to discuss issues confronting the revival package of NPPCL, wherein parliamentary secretary Industries & Commerce, Amenba Yaden; chief secretary, Industries department officials, joint secretary ministry of Heavy Industries, Rajesh Kumar Singh; Hindustan Paper Corporation CMD, Shashi Kanth Jain and others were present.
Zeliang pointed out that out of the Rs. 100 crores released by the Ministry of Heavy Industries in 2013, Rs. 60 crores was diverted by HPC Ltd. To this, he urged the ministry “to get to the bottom of the matter and ensure that mistakes and errors, if any, should be rectified at the earliest”. He also made it clear that NPPCL should not be made to suffer due to wrongdoings of others.
Asserting that the works on ground should commence without delay, Zeliang at the same time told the officials that the sentiments of the land donors for NPPCL should be respected.
He further urged the management to gainfully utilize the services of around 30 trainees who had undergone training, and to ensure that salaries are paid instead of the stipend.
While stating that the Industries & Commerce secretary was the only director in the Board of Directors, Zeliang insisted that the number of state government officials in the BoD needed to be enhanced, and that the DC of the district be included in the board.
He also insisted for appointment of a fulltime managing director to oversee the NPPCL.
Meanwhile, Zeliang in the meeting reminded of the representation submitted by the Tuli Area Joint Council Forum with regard to revival of NPPCL.
The joint secretary and HPC’s CMD agreed to look into the issues raised by the chief minister and to being the revival works of NPPCL at the earliest.
It may be mentioned that an amount of Rs. 552 crore was announced as revival package for NPPCL in 2007, out of which only Rs 54.62 was released.
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., CMO stated.