The State Government recently handed over the Konark Jute Mill in the district to the Orissa Stevedores Limited (OSL).
The OSL had won the bid held in 2010 to purchase the Konark Jute Mill situated at Dhanmandal under Barachana block at a cost of Rs 33 crore.
The transfer of ownership was delayed because of the loan outstanding due of banks and financial organizations.
The outstanding was cleared on 17th February and the plant was handed over. “After getting possession of the jute mill, we started to stock iron pellets in the mill to transport these to other States,” said OSL, Paradip vice-president BK. Ojha.
The State government time and again had assured workers in the past to hand over the mill to a private organisation only to run the mill. But as the OSL converted the mill to use it as a storehouse for iron pellets, the State’s only jute mill completely shut down. BJP district president Gautam Ray has; however, decried the Government’s decision.
