Cabinet sanctions ₹308.75 cr for payment of dues to Cachar & Nagaon Paper Mill employees

May 3: Assam Cabinet has sanctioned an amount of Rs.308.75 crore as part of the 700-cr relief package for clearing the dues of employees and workers of Cachar Paper Mill and Nagaon Paper Mill run by Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL). Further, as per the commitment of the state government, a list of 100 suitable employees of the now defunct two paper mills has been prepared. These 100 persons will be provided job by the state government within next one week. This was informed by Keshab Mahanta, Health Minister, Government of Assam on Tuesday.

The Government of Assam has already taken over the assets of Nagaon Paper Mill and Cachar Paper Mill. The price was lowered several times and the Assam government finally acquired the mills at Rs 375 crore. 

The mill at Nagaon is spread over 1765 bigha, 33 katha and 24 lessa of land while the one at Cachar occupies 2916 bigha, 1 katha and 7 lessa land, totaling to 4681 bigha, 34 katha and 17 lessa. HPC”s Cachar unit in Panchgram stopped functioning on October 20, 2015, while the Nagaon mill in Jagiroad stopped operations on March 31, 2017. No salary was paid to the staff of Cachar and Nagaon units since January and March of 2017, respectively.