Paper mills will be revived within six months if Cong comes to power: Rahul Gandhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday, said the two defunct paper mills in Assam, including the Cachar Paper Mill, will be revived within six months if the Congress comes to power.

Cachar Paper Mill, the only major industrial undertaking in Barak Valley, has been lying defunct since October 2015. It is located at Panchgram in Hailakandi district. The Nagaon Paper Mill is at Jagiroad in Morigaon district and has been lying defunct since March 2017.

Rahul dressed in a white kurta and pant, addressed a gathering at Panchgram in Hailakandi district. He said a large number of people have been facing hardships because of the pitiable condition of the mills and that both the industrial units will be made functional within six months if the Congress comes to power in 2019.

About the government’s vision on the progress and development of Barak Valley, he said if his government comes to power, it will work to transform the valley into a business hub in Assam.

On empowering women, he said his government would provide 33 percent reservation to women in government jobs. Besides, 20 percent of the country’s poorest families will get Rs. 72,000 (Rs. 6,000 monthly) under the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY). The amount will be directly deposited to the woman member of the families, he said.

Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said that Modi has a “special bonhomie” with capitalists/industrialists and does not care about poor people, who have suffered a lot in the past five years because of the government’s various policies and decisions.

Silchar MP and Congress candidate in Silchar for the Lok Sabha election Sushmita Dev said the Congress government would work for women empowerment and resolve various other issues in the country. About Barak Valley, she said the government has a prudent vision for Barak Valley and that it will work for the valley’s all-round development after coming to power.

The programme, which saw a huge turnout of people, was delayed due to inclement weather. Chants of ‘Chowkidar Chor Hain’ were heard in the venue prior to the Congress president’s arrival.

Former Congress ministers Gautama Roy and Siddeque Ahmed, Karimganj North MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha and Lakhipur MLA Rajdeep Goala were also present.