All efforts to tone up AFT Mill, says Shanmugam

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, SEPT. 21. The Chief Minister, Mr. P. Shanmugham, told the Assembly today that no steps would be spared to ensure that the government-owned AFT Mill functioned in full steam.

He said while presenting replies that it was only because of his efforts made during his tenure as member of the Lok Sabha in the eighties that the AFT Mill saw light at the end of the tunnel.

He also recalled how strenuous were his efforts in collaboration with the then Prime Ministers, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi to take over the mill through a special textiles corporation when there were criticism from several quarters.

``We would always strive for the smooth working of the mill and would not let it suffer any setback,'' he said amidst thumping of desks by the members on the ruling side.

Mr. Shanmugham, who is one of the few senior leaders here and who had occupied posts of Ministers in the early part of post-merger years, said it was his efforts when the Bharathi mills (an undertaking of the NTC now) that brought cheers to the mill workers in the sixties.

This was the first mill to be nationalised in the country and he referred to the cooperation received from the then chief Minister of Pondicherry, the late V. Venkatasubba Reddiar, in his pioneering efforts. This would only show that he had a soft corner for mill workers. He braved all criticism levelled against him then.He also promised that journalists' welfare would never be ignored. Necessary guidelines were being finalised to look into the representation of the scribes in respect of housing facilities and other amenities.

He said that Pondicherry administration now helped decentralised authorities to work out pacts with foreign funding agencies to develop port, power projects, roads, housing activities etc.

The Planning Commission and the Union Home Ministry had given the green signal for the formulation of schemes and implementation of programme which had already been appreciated by the top brass in the Planning Commission.

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Section  : Southern States
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