Guwahati, Oct. 27: The Assam Congress today sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's personal intervention to revive the two leading paper mills in the state.
The memorandum was sent to Modi after Assam PCC leaders, Congress MPs and MLAs staged a protest in front of Dighalipukhuri here this morning deploring the "insensitive" attitude of the present governments at the Centre and state to revive the mills.
Cachar Paper Mill and Nagaon Paper Mill, which once contributed significantly towards economic development of the state, are currently going through tough times because of huge liabilities.
Assam PCC president Ripun Bora, who participated in the protest, alleged that the BJP, which came to power at the Centre and Assam by promising massive employment for youths, was now trying to close down the existing industries. "The present state of affairs at Cachar and Nagaon paper mills is evident of the BJP's false promises."
Congress MP from Silchar Sushmita Dev said both Modi and Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal had assured the Cachar paper mill's employees that work would resume. But, till date, no step has been taken.
The Cachar mill has been non-functional since October 20 last year.
Dev said it was really unfortunate that both the central and state governments were playing with the lives of hundreds of employees and contractual labourers.
The report of the department-related parliamentary standing committee on industry, which was tabled in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on May 3, said the Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited had requested the Centre to give a working capital of Rs 400 crore to revive the Cachar paper mill.
The Centre last month told Assam that a Rs 800-crore proposal was being prepared to revamp Nagaon and revive Cachar paper mills.
Congress MLA from Samaguri in Nagaon district and former minister Rakibul Hussain said it was high time the capacity of Nagaon paper mill was increased to enable it to contribute in creating more employment opportunities.
The Nagaon paper mill - the fourth unit of the Hindustan Paper Corporation - was established in 1979 and began commercial production in 1983.
During the 2010-2011 financial year, this unit produced almost 1.2 lakh metric tonnes of paper.
