STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: President of the Joint Action Committee of Recognized Unions (JACRU), Nagaon and Cachar Paper Mills, Assam, Manobendra Chakraborty has decried the fact that the government has shown no interest in re-opining the paper industries of Assam.
Chakraborty said that the Kerala Government will be resuming the trial run of the defunct paper mill of Kerala from the new year. This paper mill in Kerala was previously a subsidiary unit of the Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC). He said that the Kerala government was aiming to huge employment generation for the unemployed youths of the State by re-opening the defunct paper mill. He further said that Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will dedicate the industry to the State by switching on commercial production of the mill from May 1, 2022 on the occasion of International Labour Day.
The JACRU president said that although the Prime Minister and the Minister of Home Affairs, Government of India, had assured that the paper industries of Assam would be re-opened to make India atma nirvar in the paper sector, no one has showed genuine interest to honour this commitment. Rather, paper is being important from Bangladesh, China and Indonesia to meet domestic consumption. As a result, the paper industries of Assam were being hampered. This in turn, has affected the economic growth of Assam and thrown 4 lakh workers out of employment, directly or indirectly.
Chakraborty reiterated that few days back the ugly scenario of unemployment in Assam was seen during the Niyog Mela employment fair organized by the Government of Assam. "Reviving the two heavy paper industries of Assam may provide employment to lakhs of unemployed youth, which will boost the rural economy and the overall growth of Assam," he said.
JACRU expressed concern over that fact that due to non-payment of salary since the last 59 months, 98 workers of the paper mills had died while four had committed suicide.
Chakraborty urged the Chief Minister to take steps to revive the Nagaon and Cachar Paper Mills and expressed hope that the Central Government would extend all support to Assam in this regard.
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