Bhubaneswar, April 25: The government has planned to revive the Orient Paper Mill, one of the oldest industries of the state, located at Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda.

The industries department, in collaboration with the mill management, will take up the project to create employment opportunities. The paper mill came into existence in 1939.

Industries minister Debi Prasad Mishra recently held a meeting with officials and decided on the modalities to resume it. The government will help the mill management to reopen the facility, which was shut down in 1999 reportedly because of incurring financial losses. At present, the mill infrastructure is in a bad condition and almost beyond repair. However, the power plant and some paper machines could be revived with proper investments.

The government has asked the mill management to appoint an engineering consultant, who will assess the viability of repairing machines and the investment required to revive the factory. The state government will waive the pending water and electricity bills of the mill. "We had a meeting with the management of Orient Paper Mill. We have decided to take up the revival of the factory in two phases. First, we will revive the existing plant, and then, we will expand it according to the market assessment," said a department official.

The state government has been requested to exempt the taxes and duties of the plant for a period of 10 years.

"We used to study about the paper mill in our school textbooks. Another such industry is the glass-manufacturing factory at Barang. The government should also think of reviving it as well<>," said schoolteacher Nibedita Rath.