Former Union Minister, Subodh Kant Sahay on Saturday said HEC has been sold from Bajpayee Government to Modi Government due to wrong policy of BJP and he will keep trying till his last capacity to save it.
Addressing a Press meet in the State capital, Sahay said more than 5,000 people are working in HEC on permanent and temporary basis and there is a township of 1.5 lakh population.
“In HEC, officers have not received salary for five months and labourers for four months. At present, HEC has a work order of about Rs 2,000 crore. But, the work is not going on due to lack of working capital. In the HEC for the last 19 months, the chairman of VAL has been given the additional charge of chairman of the HEC, he has been in office only four times in 19 months,” he added.
The former Union Minister said that HEC is the pride of Jharkhand. “It is the mother plant of the established industries in the Country. In 2004, when the UPA Government was in power and he was a Minister, he had tried to revive it by giving a special package,” he added.
Sahay said the Minister of Heavy Industries, Government of India, Javedkar spoke to him on the phone and apprised him about the status of HEC and said that it is necessary for the existence of Jharkhand and the Country to continue the HEC.
He said if the letter of comfort is given by the Government of India to HEC for working capital, then the work order of HEC can be completed by Rs 2,000 crore.
“Money can also be raised by giving the rest of the lease, not by selling the HEC land. The Minister of Heavy Industries assured that a meeting would be convened in the Ministry without delay on the question of HEC and any decision would be taken without delay on the points raised by you,” said Sahay.
He has also urged the Union Cabinet Minister, Arjun Munda to present his side to save the HEC to protect the identity of Jharkhand as a representative.
Sahay has also urged the State Government to take cognisance of this and revive HEC.