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Govt holding talks with BRS Venture

By The Assam Tribune

DIBRUGARH, Oct 18 - Union minister Rameswar Teli on Friday said the government is holding negotiations with the UAE-based conglomerate BRS Ventures for selling the PSU firm Hindustan Paper Corporation�s two defunct mills in Assam.

Addressing a joint press conference with BRS Ventures chairman BR Shetty, the Union Minister of State for Food Processing said that the Middle East business entity is interested in acquiring the HPC�s Cachar and Nagaon units.

�We are talking about the two paper mills. We requested Shetty to take it and then run accordingly. He has agreed to our proposal,� the minister said.

There are some formalities left before handing over the two mills and both parties will decide accordingly, he added.

Shetty said he is interested in acquiring the two paper mills, which are not in operations for years.

�The paper mills� case is in NCLT now. My only purpose is to rehabilitate the people, who have not received their salaries for years,� he added.

If the BRS Ventures acquires the two paper mills, the company will construct a health city, a school and a smart town in the complex, he said.

�Then I will request the government to connect Jagiroad with Guwahati by a metro. The mills have turned into junk. These cannot be revived. If the government wants only paper mills, then we will have to set up a new one there. But our plan is to absorb the current workforce in new projects,� Shetty said.

When asked about the possible deal size, Shetty said it is �too early� to comment as he has �only in-principle� agreed to take over the mills. � PTI

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