KOCHI: At a time when the Union government is pursuing a disinvestment policy, the Kerala government has set an example for the whole country in protecting public sector enterprises, said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here on Thursday.
Inaugurating the Kerala Paper Products Ltd, the erstwhile Hindustan Newsprint Ltd, which was taken over and revived by the Kerala government at Velloor in Kottayam district, he said KPPL will be developed into a leading paper manufacturing unit in the country. The aim is to achieve a capacity to produce five lakh tonnes of paper and a turnover of Rs 3,000 crore per year.
The CM said the government approach to protecting public sector units does not mean that it will spend public money lavishly to save PSUs that have made a huge loss due to mismanagement. The government will modernise the units, provide modern machinery, improve infrastructure facilities and provide support for the skill development of the employees. The management and employees should adapt to the changes and strive for the development of the institutions, he said.
Pinarayi said the government has set an ambitious target to achieve living standards similar to developed middle-income countries. The K-FON (Kerala Fibre Optic Network) project will be inaugurated soon and the government is taking steps to make the state's industrial sector investor-friendly.
He said 83,541 MSMEs were started in the state within a short period bringing an investment of Rs 7,900 crore and creating 2.98 lakh job opportunities.
Industries Minister P Rajeeve who presided over the function said the government will implement a professional management strategy while modernising PSUs. The government will intervene only in policy matters. The regularisation and promotion of employees will be purely based on talent and performance, he said.
A huge crowd had gathered at the factory premises to witness the inaugural function braving incessant rain. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Minister for cooperation VN Vasavan, MPs, and MLAs were present on the occasion.