File photo of Congress Vice President, Rahul Gandhi
After a mega food park, a multi-crore paper mill project may be shifted out of Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary constituency of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh by the BJP led National Democratic Alliance.
The project worth Rs 3,650 crore was proposed to be set up in Jagdishpur area of Amethi district in 2007, but has been delayed due to non-availability of land. Efforts are now on by the Centre to shift it to Ratnagiri in Maharashtra if the delay continues, also the parliamentary constituency of Union Heavy Industry Minister Anant Geete.
Mr Geete said, "We are making efforts to set up the mill in Ratnagiri as land is available there. Plus, it has ample bamboo cultivation, highway, port, railway connectivity is there. We will have to approach the Cabinet again for approval to transfer the project to Ratnagiri,"
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, who is on a two day tour to Rajasthan, has termed it politics of revenge. Mr Gandhi told reporters in Jaipur, "I have said earlier also that there was "badle ki rajniti" (revenge politics). We have done good things for people in Amethi, we will continue to work for them."
Earlier in May, the Centre had cancelled the Rs 200 crore mega food park in Amethi due to procedural issues.
The government has denied the charge saying the food park was cancelled as the promoter company had expressed its inability to pursue the project in the absence of natural gas. They claim the Congress led UPA government has denied allocation of gas to the company in 2012.
During UPA-II's last few months in power, the Union Cabinet had approved the Jagdishpur Paper Mills Limited (JPML) in February last year, a green field pulp and paper project which was to be implemented in two phases. The project was expected to provide direct employment to 900 persons and indirect employment to many more.