Union Minister promises action on revival of HMT Kalamassery unit

The revival of the Kalamassery unit of Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) by infusing fresh funds will not be possible without revoking the Central Cabinet decision of 2016 to disinvest HMT’s shares, Union Minister for Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy reportedly told a meeting in Delhi.

In a statement issued here, Hibi Eden, MP, who attended the meeting on reviving the unit, said the Minister assured that he would take the necessary steps to secure a new Cabinet decision within three months. The meeting reviewed that the Kalamassery unit of HMT was in a better state, while other units were struggling. The Kalamassery unit was also commended for winning new orders, unlike the others.

A decision was taken to rent out the unit’s 11-storey building to generate revenue. HMT Workers’ Congress (INTUC) vice president V.N. Linson and secretary Shifas demanded that the revenue be used solely for the unit’s improvement. They also insisted that any exchange of HMT land should be at market value, with the proceeds used exclusively for the unit’s development.

INTUC strongly protested the State Government staking a claim to 100 acres it had handed over to the HMT Kalamassery unit with full rights in 1999. They said the existing infrastructure could generate 3,500 jobs.

Other demands included implementing a time-bound revival project, appointing a permanent chairman and managing director along with professional management, restoring the unit’s capacity by allotting working capital to fulfil existing orders and participate in new tenders, formulating policies and projects for the Kalamassery unit similar to initiatives for small-scale industries, revising the salary scale dating back to 1997, and protecting the unit’s land from encroachment while using it for revenue generation.