ITC team to visit MP

A team from ITC Bhadrachalam's paperboards and specialty papers division(PSPD) and its consultant SPB Projects and Consultancy Ltd, will visit Madhya Pradesh on Friday to identify the land area for its proposed social forestry model in MP.

The company plans to set up a greenfield plant with an investment of Rs 2,500 crore. A team of company officials visited the state last month in this regard.

The team will visit the Mandla district and its adjoining areas to see the possibility and feasibility of the site and will also hold discussions with senior government officials, company sources said.

Of the 12 surveyed sites, the company has shortlisted two""one in Kareli (Narsinghpur) and the other in Maneri of the Mandla district. The state government has also agreed upon acquiring a 2,500 acre land area in Maneri for the paper mill.

The team is likely to discuss joint ventures with village committees, and reservations of bamboo fields for the company only for at least five years, plantation of 50,000""75,000 hectares that can be raised over five years, leasing of land on a long-term basis.

Besides Madhya Pradesh, the company was also exploring the possibilities of Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Maharashtra, said company sources.

In its earlier meeting on May 9 this year, the company said it required 1,000 hectares to set up the plant and a residential colony for staffs and 5,000 hectares for irrigation purposes and utilising treated wastewater from the paper mill. The company had also announced the set up of a 50 Mw power plant.