NEW DELHI, Aug 23 - Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal today called on Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and sought sanction of Rs 1,800 crore for revival of the paper mills at Jagiroad and Panchgram in Assam, besides relief to two lakh bamboo farmers in the State.
�Today I met the Union Finance Minister and requested him to support us to reopen the two units of Hindustan Paper Corporation located at Jagiroad and Panchgram. For both the paper mills, we asked for Rs 1,800 crore. Jaitley has assured us to look at our demands sympathetically,� Sonowal said briefing newsmen here.
�We have requested the Government of India to revive both the HPC plants keeping in mind the plight of the employees as well as the suffering of nearly two lakh bamboo growers in the Brahmaputra and Barak valleys,� Sonowal said.
Yesterday, he had met principal secretary to the Prime Minister, Nripendra Mishra and raised a host of issues, including revival of Nagaon Paper Mill of Jagiroad, Cachar Paper Mill of Panchgram and Ashok Paper Mill of Jogighopa. Highlighting the contribution of these units in the industrial sector of the State, Sonowal sought intervention from the PMO, so that the Ministry of Heavy Industries takes an early call.
Meanwhile, Sonowal said since the time of the last government at the Centre a sum of Rs 1,183 crore has been pending towards the Flood Management Programme (FMP). �We have asked for its sanction. These funds are not for new schemes, but as pending liability of 141 schemes. The Finance Minister said he would consider the demands sympathetically,� he said.
�Under the Open Defecation Free (ODF) scheme, we have requested the Centre to fund construction of 15 lakh new latrines in Assam,� Sonowal said, adding the milestones achieved by the State in the implementation of Swacch Bharat Mission since the new government came to power were also discussed in the meeting with Mishra.
