Hyderabad: Telangana IT and industries minister KT Rama Rao (KTR) requested the union government to reopen all shut units of the Cement Corporation of India (CCI) in Adilabad district. In a letter to union minister for Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey, KTR said told him that the issue was highlighted earlier, but to no avail.
KTR, in his letter to Mahendra Nath Pandey, told the latter that the matter was pointed out his predecessors, but no favorable decision was made. Giving detailed information about the plant, KTR stated that the CCI Adilabad commenced production in 1984 with an initial cost of Rs. 47 crore.
The plant is located in an area of about 772 acres on the outskirts of Adilabad town and has a township of 170 acres with about 400 quarters. It was catering to the cement requirements in Marathwada & Vidarbha region in Maharashtra and North Telangana, KTR said in his letter.
“The plant, unfortunately, stopped manufacturing in 1996 for want of the working capital and as per the sanctioned scheme of BIFR,” said the IT minister. He added that the plant was to be closed down by offering the VRS to the employees in 2008. “The employees however approached the court and the matter is presently under status-quo with 75 employees still under the rolls of the Company,” added KTR .
The Telangana IT and industries minister highlighted that the erstwhile plant has a live mining lease in an area of about 1500 acres with limestone deposits of about 48 million tonnes. KTR further stated that the coal of the required quality is available with Singareni Collieries Corporation Limited, a state-owned coal mining company, which can be supplied on a cost-plus basis.
“Given the strategic importance, I humbly request that the steps may be initiated under your stewardship to revive and restart the unit. The State Government shall extend all necessary assistance as required in this endeavor,” said KTR.
KTR asks cement factories in Huzurnagar to employ local youth
On Thursday, KTR along with local MLA Saidireddy held a meeting with the management of all the cement factories located in and around Huzurnagar. The industries minister appealed to industrialists to increase local employment within their units and assured them of maximum support from the state government.
“He highlighted the new industrial policy and stated that the companies that employ locals will be given incentives in the form of tax breaks,” said a press release from KTR’s office. It added that during the meeting, KTR promised to set up a local skill center focused on the needs of the cement industry. He also mentioned that the Telangana government is coming up with special plans to develop Huzurnagar industrially