Employees working for the Hindustan Paper Corporation Limited (HPCL) who have been waiting for their pending salaries can heave a sigh of relief as Union Minister of State for Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises Babul Supriyo has assured that their pending salaries would be cleared soon.
Supriyo, who recently visited the Northeast to campaign in Meghalaya for February 27 Assembly elections, tweeted on Saturday, “Happy to inform you that, while the best is being done to facilitate & implement the revival plans of HPCL, an interim payment of 3 months pending salaries shall be made soon.” On his Twitter handle, he also stated that he has spoken to everyone concerned to “try & make it happen within the next 10 days”.
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal acknowledging the effort of Supriyo, tweeted, “Thank You Babul Supriyo ji for your effort for providing interim relief to HPCL employees & their families. The sincere efforts of the government to revive the HPCL units will soon provide a permanent solution.”
It may be mentioned that the HPCL workers have been demanding release of their dues since a long time but their pleas mostly fell on deaf ears. Recently, a worker working there had even attempted suicide by getting on top of a tower in Jagiroad.
Responding to a memorandum submitted recently by a joint action committee of the recognized unions of Cachar Paper Mill and Nagaon Paper Mill owned by State-run HPCL, the Presidential Secretariat in a letter has asked the Secretary to the Department of Public Enterprise to take action immediately to ensure the re-opening of these mills and clear the dues of the workers.
The memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind had stated that the Cachar Paper Mill has remained closed since October 2015 and the Nagaon Paper Mill since March 2017, leaving at least two lakh workers without salaries and affecting the rural economy of the State.