KOTTAYAM: Warning against mismanagement in public sector undertakings, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday explicitly said that his government’s policy of protecting PSUs does not mean that it will spend endlessly to save those ventures that accumulate losses due to maladministration. “The government will modernise the units... The government will provide modern machinery, infrastructure facilities and support for 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 was inaugurating the Kerala Paper Products Ltd (KPPL), the new avatar of the Hindustan Newsprint Ltd after its takeover by the state government, at Velloor in the district. The CM said the KPPL will be developed into a leading paper manufacturing unit in the country. The aim is to achieve a production capacity of 5 lakh tonnes and a turnover of Rs 3,000 crore per year within 46 months.
Industries minister P Rajeeve who presided over the function, said the government will bring professional management to make the PSUs competitive. The government will intervene only in policy matters. The employees of KPPL have been appointed on contract and their service will be regularised purely on the basis of performance and talent. After one yar, the Kerala Rubber Company will start functioning in Velloor and KINFRA will establish an Industrial park in the area, he said. Terming the revival of HNL as a milestone in the industrialisation of the state, the CM said the state has set an example in protecting PSUs with the opening of KPPL. It will be made a model to emulate for the whole country.
Pinarayi said 83,541 MSMEs have started functioning in Kerala over a short period of time which underlines the industry friendly policy of the state.These MSMEs have brought an investment of Rs 7,900 crore and created 2,98,361 job opportunities. The government has set an ambitious target of incubating one lakh MSMEs during the next one year and has received investment offers to the tune of Rs 7,000 crore.
Braving incessant rain, a huge crowd gathered on the factory premises to witness the inaugural function. Former chief minister Oommen Chandy, minister for cooperation V N Vasavan, MPs and MLAs were present on the occasion. Industries principal secretary A P M Mohammed Haneesh welcomed the gathering. The chief minister also felicitated KPPL special officer Prasad Balakrishnan Nair for completing the Phase 1 renovation work ahead of the deadline.
VASAVAN LIKENS PINARAYI TO LORD SRI RAM
Heaping praises on the Chief Minister for his initiative to take over and revive the HNL, which the Centre had listed for disinvestment, Minister for Cooperation V N Vasavan compared Pinarayi Vijayan to Lord Sri Ram. Comparing HNL to the mythical Ahalya who was cursed by sage Gautham to become a rock, Vasavan said, to the amusement of the huge crowd present at the inaugural function, Pinarayi came as Lord Sri Ram to give HNL redemption. He also compared Industries Minister P Rajeeve to Lakshman who helped Ram.