HPC At A Glance
Paper is more than an industrial
product. It is the cultural barometer of a nation. We need paper every day for widening
the frontiers of our knowledge. Yet, the per capita annual consumption of paper at about 4
kgs in India is among the lowest in the world today.
A Crusader For
Literacy
HPC is an extended arm of the Union
Government to intensify the movement for literacy through the growth of the paper
industry. Today it is one of the largest manufacturers of paper and newsprint in South
East Asia. Simultaneously, HPC has been playing a dominant role in the socio-economic
development of the North-East region.
Background
The planned development of the paper
industry in India began only in the post-independence period. The growth, however, slowed
down in the sixties owing to the escalation of cost and the scarcity of forest-based raw
materials. The stagnation led to frequent shortages of cultural varieties of paper,
causing hardship to common consumers. There were also the national task of developing the
industrially backward regions for balanced socio-economic growth. It was against this
background that the Government of India set up the Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC) on
May 29, 1970.
A Catalyst For Growth
HPC was entrusted with the task of
producing substantial volumes of cultural varieties of paper and newsprint to maintain
stability of price in a volatile market. Besides, it was designed to be a catalyst for
industrial growth in the North-East. It was also engaged in the task of developing
indigenous expertise for setting up large newsprint and paper mills.
HPC Mills
HPC group has four paper mills, two
of which are units and two are subsidiary companies. HPC is the holding company for
Hindustan Newsprint Ltd. (HNL) and Nagaland Pulp & Paper Company Ltd. (NPPC). Nagaon
Paper Mill (NPM) and Cachar Paper Mill (CPM) function directly under HPCs control
and their performance is reflected in HPCs operating results. Over a period of three
decades, HPC has built up a total capacity of about 3.35 lakh tonnes of paper and
newsprint. |