New Delhi: Union Steel and Heavy Industries Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Saturday visited the Cement Corporation of India (CCI) factory at Bokajan in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district and said "potential of the region will be harnessed for the benefit of locals".
Kumaraswamy also held a meeting with members of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and top district officials, said a statement from this office.
During the meeting, KAAC chief advisor Elwin Teron submitted a memorandum claiming that the council has been receiving nominal royalty from CCI despite significant annual expenditures.
He also pointed out the district's untapped natural resources and urged CCI to expand its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to focus on reducing unemployment and promoting skill development.
Kumaraswamy assured that the points raised in the memorandum would be thoroughly reviewed in consultation with CCI.
He reiterated his commitment to the development of Bokajan, promising that the "region's potential would be harnessed for the benefit of its residents".
Kumaraswamy attended a public meeting where he inaugurated the hot gas utilisation project in the raw mills of the cement factory.
Important issues of the area were placed before Kumaraswamy during the meeting, like the need to upgrade the Bokajan cement factory, implement pollution control measures and improve infrastructure at the local Kendriya Vidyalaya.
CCI CMD Sanjay Verma presented a detailed plan to upgrade the factory's industrial equipment over the next three years to enhance its competitiveness.
He also stressed on the importance of employing local labourers, which, he said, will significantly contribute to the region's economy.
Kumaraswamy also participated in the foundation laying ceremony of a 1-MW grid connected solar PV plant near the cement factory colony, in line with the country’s renewable energy goals.
Published 21 September 2024, 17:12 IST