Industries Minister K.T. Rama Rao on Monday sought ITC Ltd.’s support in reviving the unit of Ballarpur Industries in Warangal (Bhupalpally Jayashankar district) that made pulp used in paper making.
“If you can take a look at the possibility of working with the State government on making a viable business proposition out of this sick industry, we will be reviving more than 2,000 jobs,” he said at the inauguration of ITC Kohenur super luxury hotel, an event in which ITC’s top management led by chairman Y.C. Deveshwar participated.
When Mr. Rao said Telangana stood to benefit immensely if ITC considered the proposal as part of its expansion programme, Mr. Deveshwar said Managing Director Sanjiv Puri would look at the suggestion. “If you offer us enough incentives, then there is no reason why we cannot take our partnership forward,” he added.
The Minister made this suggestion while listing out how the State government had evolved industry initiatives such as Telangana State Industrial Health Clinic to revive sick units. The revival of Sirupur Paper Mills was set to become a reality. Ramagundam Fertilisers Ltd is to be revived with the Centre as well as a few cement firms, he said.
ITC, Mr. Rao said, had kept its promise of investing in Telangana, towards expansion of the company’s paper mill in Bhadrachalam and in agro industry and food processing sector.
Mr. Deveshwar said the company had brought land for ITC Kohenur in 2007 for ₹135 crore and the new facility comprising 271 rooms, suites, and service apartments and six signature restaurants would add to Telangana’s business potential.
Mr. Puri said ITC has invested ₹2,500 crore in the past four years in the State and proposed to invest ₹2,500 crore more in the next few years, including on the Integrated Consumer Goods Manufacturing and Logistics hub, in Medak, spread over 59 acres and with a built up area of 7 lakh sq ft.
The first phase is likely to be commissioned by 2019.
