the paper industry - economic and political weeklybags- replaced jute and hessian bags for the...

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17th September 1949 E C O N O M I C W E E K L Y The Paper Industry Its Present Position and Prospects STATIST T H E R E are at present 16 paper Mills in India with a potential capacity of producing just over 100,000 tons of writing, printing and wrapping papers and boards. There are about 9 major Boards and Straw Boards Mills. Among the paper mills, Rohtas Industries Ltd., Orient Paper Mills Ltd., Upper India Couper Paper Mills Ltd., and Gujarat Paper Mills Ltd., are also manufacturers of Board. The total production capacity of these is over 50,000 tons. The names of the 16 paper mills and the main Board mills are given below: PAPER MILLS 1. *Upper India Couper Mills Ltd.. Lucknow, U.P. (1879). 2. Titaghur Paper Mills. Titaghur. Bengal, (1882). 3. Titaghur Paper Mills, Kankinarah, Bengal (1882). 4. Deccan Paper Mills Ltd., Poona, Bombay (1884). 5. Bengal Paper Mills Ltd., Raniganj, Bengal (1889). 6. India Paper Pulp Ltd., Naihati, Bengal (1918). 7. Andhra Paper Mill.s Ltd., Rajah- mundry, Madras (1925?). 8. Punalur Paper Mills Ltd.. Puna- lur, Travancore (191). 9. Mysore Paper Mills Ltd., Bhadra- vati, Mysore (1936), 10. *Orient Paper Mills Ltd., Samball- pur Dist., Orissa (1936). 11 . *Rohtas Industries Ltd., Dalmia- nagar, Bihar (196). 12. Star Paper Mills Ltd.. Saharanpur, U.P. (1936). 13. Shree Gopal Paper Mills Ltd., Ja- gadhri, Punjab (1938). 14. Sirpur Paper Mills Ltd., Sirpur. Hyderabad (Dn.), (1939). 15. *Gujarat Paper Mills Ltd., Ahme- dabad, Bombay. 16. Pudumjee Paper Mills Ltd., Bom- bay. (*produce board also). BOARD MILLS 1. Straw Board Manufacturing Co.. Ltd., Saharanpur, U.P. 2. Straw Products Ltd., BhopaL 3. Jaswant Straw Board Mills Ltd., Mcerut, U.P. 4. Standard Board and Paper Mills Ltd., Dum Dum, Bengal. 5. India Paper and Board Mills Ltd., Calcutta, Bengal. 6. Pioneer Paper and Pulp Mills Ltd., Calcutta, Bengal. 7. Rewa Board Mills Ltd., Rewa. Hand-made paper has been made in India for centuries. The first mill for machine-made paper was established in Bally near Calcutta in 1870. Although this Company went into liquidation in 1905, the possibilities of the paper industry were fully demonstrat- ed, and the lead was followed by more hardy successors. But production has never over- taken demand. The following production figures from 1914 on- wards give a rough idea of the progress of the industry. Paper Production D u r i n g W o r l d W a r I , t h e p a p e r industry suffered from the cur- tailment of imports of wood pulp. On the other hand, immediately after that war large foreign paper imports were dumped on the market. The paper industry could neither take advantage of the shortage of paper supplies during 1914-18 nor could it with- stand the onslaught of dumping in the post-war period by foreign interests. The industry clearly stood in need of support on the Governmental level. The Indian Paper Pulp Co., which came into existence during the war took the intiative in applying for pro- tective duties on imported paper. And the Government responded by asking the Tariff Board to en- quire into the matter. From 1924-25 onwards, the year of the first enquiry, the Tariff Board has conducted en- quiries on the Paper Industry every seven years. The protec- tion granted to printing and writing paper by the Bamboo Paper Industry (Protection) Act of 1925 certainly led to increased indigenous production. But the most outstanding landmark in the history of the Paper Industry was the protective duty of Rs. 45 per ton imposed on imported pulp by the Bamboo Paper Industry (Protection) Act of 1932. With the protective duty on im- ported pulp, the Indian Paper industry came into its own. As the effects of this duty made themselves felt, the reliance on imported pulp was recognised as a very unsatisfactory element in the situation. A tropical country like India with large reserves of luxuriant vegetation should not have to depend on external sources for the production of paper, which is nothing but a thin felted material formed from macerated vegetable fibre. The forests of Assam, the Central Provinces, the Himalayas and the Western Ghas are rich in material for the manufacture of paper. It is to the credit of India that her 13

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Page 1: The Paper Industry - Economic and Political Weeklybags- replaced jute and hessian bags for the packing of a number of commodities and paper con tainers for packing food, medicine and

1 7 t h S e p t e m b e r 1949 E C O N O M I C W E E K L Y

The Paper Industry Its Present Position and Prospects

STATIST

T H E R E are a t p r e s e n t 1 6 p a p e r

M i l l s i n I n d i a w i t h a p o t e n t i a l

c a p a c i t y o f p r o d u c i n g j u s t o v e r

100,000 t ons o f w r i t i n g , p r i n t i n g

a n d w r a p p i n g pape r s a n d b o a r d s .

T h e r e a r e a b o u t 9 m a j o r B o a r d s

a n d S t r a w B o a r d s M i l l s . A m o n g

t h e p a p e r m i l l s , R o h t a s I n d u s t r i e s

L t d . , O r i e n t P a p e r M i l l s L t d . ,

U p p e r I n d i a C o u p e r P a p e r M i l l s

L t d . , a n d G u j a r a t P a p e r M i l l s

L t d . , a r e a lso m a n u f a c t u r e r s o f

B o a r d . T h e t o t a l p r o d u c t i o n

c a p a c i t y o f these i s o v e r 50,000

tons .

T h e n a m e s o f t he 1 6 p a p e r m i l l s

a n d t h e m a i n B o a r d m i l l s a r e

g i v e n b e l o w :

PAPER M I L L S

1. *Upper India Couper Mi l l s L td . . Lucknow, U.P. (1879).

2. Titaghur Paper Mil ls . Titaghur. Bengal, (1882).

3. Ti taghur Paper Mil ls , Kankinarah, Bengal (1882).

4. Deccan Paper Mi l l s Ltd . , Poona, Bombay (1884).

5. Bengal Paper Mi l l s Ltd. , Raniganj, Bengal (1889).

6. India Paper Pulp Ltd . , Naihati, Bengal (1918).

7. Andhra Paper Mill.s L td . , Rajah­mundry, Madras (1925?).

8. Punalur Paper Mi l l s Ltd. . Puna-lur, Travancore (191).

9. Mysore Paper Mi l l s Ltd. , Bhadra-vati , Mysore (1936),

10. *Orient Paper Mi l l s Ltd . , Samball-pur Dist., Orissa (1936).

11 . *Rohtas Industries Ltd . , Dalmia-nagar, Bihar (196).

12. Star Paper Mi l l s L td . . Saharanpur, U.P. (1936).

13. Shree Gopal Paper Mi l l s Ltd . , Ja-gadhri, Punjab (1938).

14. Sirpur Paper Mi l l s Ltd . , Sirpur. Hyderabad (Dn.), (1939).

15. *Gujarat Paper Mi l l s Ltd . , A h m e -dabad, Bombay.

16. Pudumjee Paper Mi l l s Ltd . , B o m ­bay.

(*produce board also).

BOARD M I L L S

1. Straw Board Manufacturing Co.. L td . , Saharanpur, U.P.

2. Straw Products Ltd . , BhopaL 3. Jaswant Straw Board Mil l s Ltd . ,

Mcerut, U.P. 4. Standard Board and Paper Mi l l s

Ltd. , D u m Dum, Bengal. 5. India Paper and Board Mil ls Ltd . ,

Calcutta, Bengal. 6. Pioneer Paper and Pulp Mi l l s

Ltd. , Calcutta, Bengal. 7. Rewa Board Mil l s Ltd . , Rewa.

H a n d - m a d e p a p e r has b e e n

m a d e i n I n d i a f o r c e n t u r i e s . T h e

f i r s t m i l l f o r m a c h i n e - m a d e p a p e r

w a s e s t ab l i shed i n B a l l y n e a r

C a l c u t t a i n 1870. A l t h o u g h t h i s

C o m p a n y w e n t i n t o l i q u i d a t i o n i n

1905, the p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f t h e p a p e r

i n d u s t r y w e r e f u l l y d e m o n s t r a t ­

ed , a n d t h e l e a d w a s f o l l o w e d b y

m o r e h a r d y successors.

B u t p r o d u c t i o n has n e v e r o v e r ­

t a k e n d e m a n d . T h e f o l l o w i n g

p r o d u c t i o n f i g u r e s f r o m 1914 o n ­

w a r d s g i v e a r o u g h idea o f t h e

p r o g r e s s o f t h e i n d u s t r y .

P a p e r P r o d u c t i o n

D u r i n g W o r l d W a r I , t he p a p e r

i n d u s t r y s u f f e r e d f r o m t h e c u r ­

t a i l m e n t o f i m p o r t s o f w o o d p u l p .

O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , i m m e d i a t e l y

a f t e r t h a t w a r l a r g e f o r e i g n p a p e r

i m p o r t s w e r e d u m p e d o n t h e

m a r k e t . T h e p a p e r i n d u s t r y

c o u l d n e i t h e r t a k e a d v a n t a g e o f

t h e s h o r t a g e o f p a p e r s u p p l i e s

d u r i n g 1914-18 n o r c o u l d i t w i t h ­

s t a n d t h e o n s l a u g h t o f d u m p i n g

i n t h e p o s t - w a r p e r i o d b y f o r e i g n

in te res t s . T h e i n d u s t r y c l e a r l y

s tood i n need o f s u p p o r t o n t h e

G o v e r n m e n t a l l e v e l . T h e I n d i a n

P a p e r P u l p Co. , w h i c h c a m e i n t o

ex i s t ence d u r i n g t h e w a r t o o k

t h e i n t i a t i v e i n a p p l y i n g f o r p r o ­

t e c t i v e d u t i e s o n i m p o r t e d p a p e r .

A n d t he G o v e r n m e n t r e s p o n d e d

b y a s k i n g the T a r i f f B o a r d t o e n ­

q u i r e i n t o the m a t t e r .

F r o m 1924-25 o n w a r d s , t h e

y e a r o f t h e f i r s t e n q u i r y , t h e

T a r i f f B o a r d has c o n d u c t e d e n ­

q u i r i e s o n t he P a p e r I n d u s t r y

e v e r y seven y e a r s . T h e p r o t e c ­

t i o n g r a n t e d t o p r i n t i n g a n d

w r i t i n g p a p e r b y t h e B a m b o o

P a p e r I n d u s t r y ( P r o t e c t i o n ) A c t

o f 1925 c e r t a i n l y l e d t o i n c r e a s e d

i n d i g e n o u s p r o d u c t i o n . B u t t h e

m o s t o u t s t a n d i n g l a n d m a r k i n

t he h i s t o r y o f t h e P a p e r I n d u s t r y

w a s t he p r o t e c t i v e d u t y o f Rs . 4 5

p e r t o n i m p o s e d o n i m p o r t e d p u l p

b y t h e B a m b o o P a p e r I n d u s t r y

( P r o t e c t i o n ) A c t o f 1932.

W i t h t h e p r o t e c t i v e d u t y o n i m ­

p o r t e d p u l p , t h e I n d i a n P a p e r

i n d u s t r y c a m e i n t o i t s o w n . A s

t h e effects o f t h i s d u t y m a d e

t h e m s e l v e s f e l t , t h e r e l i a n c e o n

i m p o r t e d p u l p was r e c o g n i s e d a s

a v e r y u n s a t i s f a c t o r y e l e m e n t i n

t h e s i t u a t i o n . A t r o p i c a l c o u n t r y

l i k e I n d i a w i t h l a r g e r e s e r v e s o f

l u x u r i a n t v e g e t a t i o n s h o u l d n o t

h a v e t o d e p e n d o n e x t e r n a l

sources for t he p r o d u c t i o n o f

pape r , w h i c h i s n o t h i n g b u t a

t h i n f e l t e d m a t e r i a l f o r m e d f r o m

m a c e r a t e d v e g e t a b l e f i b r e . T h e

forests o f A s s a m , t h e C e n t r a l

P r o v i n c e s , t h e H i m a l a y a s a n d the

W e s t e r n G h a s a r e r i c h i n m a t e r i a l

f o r the m a n u f a c t u r e o f pape r . I t

i s t o t h e c r e d i t o f I n d i a t h a t h e r

1 3

Page 2: The Paper Industry - Economic and Political Weeklybags- replaced jute and hessian bags for the packing of a number of commodities and paper con tainers for packing food, medicine and

E C O N O M I C W E E K L Y 1 7 t h S e p t e m b e r 1949

r e s e a r c h o n b a m b o o has p r o v e d

i t s f i t n e s s f o r t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f

p u l p . T h e r e a r e v a r i o u s o t h e r

sources i n t h e fo res t s o f I n d i a

w h i c h w i l l s e r v e j u s t as w e l l as

b a m b o o .

W h o l e h e a r t e d s u p p o r t a n d

s t i m u l a t i o n o f t h e p a p e r i n d u s t r y

b y t h e T a r i f f B o a r d w o u l d h a v e ,

l o n g b e f o r e W o r l d W a r I I , m a d e

I n d i a one o f the l a r g e s t m a n u f a c ­

t u r e r s o f p a p e r i n A s i a . T h e

p h e n o m e n a l e x p a n s i o n o f t h e

s u g a r i n d u s t r y a n d t he e m e r g e n c e

o f I n d i a a s one o f t h e m o s t i m ­

p o r t a n t s u g a r - p r o d u c i n g c o u n t r i e s

i n t h e w o r l d i n t h e t h i r t i e s s h o u l d

h a v e sugges ted ideas t o t h e T a r i f f

B o a r d . B u t t h e p o l i c y o f

" g r a d u a l n e s s " v i t i a t e d t h e T a r i f f

B o a r d ' s a t t i t u d e a n d t he I n d u s t r y

has t o d d l e d a l l t he se y e a r s f r o m

c h i l d h o o d to adolescence in a p e r ­

p e t u a l l y u n d e r n o u r i s h e d c o n d i ­

t i o n . A s w i t h suga r , s o w i t h

p a p e r , I n d i a s h o u l d h a v e b e e n i n

a p o s i t i o n d u r i n g t h e S e c o n d

W o r l d W a r t o m e e t h e r o w n r e ­

q u i r e m e n t s f u l l y a n d t o m e e t t h e

r e q u i r e m e n t s o f t h e M i d d l e Eas t

a n d S o u t h East A s i a . W h e r e t h e

f o r t u n e s o f a n i n d u s t r y a r e s o

m u c h i n t h e h a n d s o f T a r i f f

B o a r d s , t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r

m a k i n g t h e c o u n t r y a t least se l f

s u f f i c i e n t i s i n t h e B o a r d ' s hands .

A n d w e c a n n o t b u t l a y t h e b l a m e

f o r t h e u n s a t i s f a c t o r y s t a te o f t h e

i n d u s t r y a t t h e d o o r o f t h e T a r i f f

B o a r d .

T h e p r e s e n t p a p e r r e q u i r e m e n t s

o f t h e c o u n t r y c a n b e e s t i m a t e d

a t a b o u t 200,000 tons . A s t h e

p r e s e n t p r o d u c t i o n c a p a c i t y i s

o n l y a b o u t 100,000 tons , t h e r e i s

a m p l e scope f o r e x p a n s i o n . W i t h

r e g a r d t o b o a r d a n d s t r a w - b o a r d ,

w e a r e f a i r l y se l f - su f f i c i en t . A s

f o r n e w s p r i n t , I n d i a does n o t p r o ­

d u c e a n y , b u t o u r r e q u i r e m e n t s

r u n to a b o u t 50,000 tons a y e a r .

S a b a i g rass a n d b a m b o o a re

t h e t w o m a i n r a w m a t e r i a l s u s e d

i n I n d i a . S a b a i grass g r o w s i n

a b u n d a n c e a l o n g t h e s u b -

H i m a l a y a n b e l t o f t h e c o u n t r y

f r o m t h e P u n j a b t o A s s a m .

B a m b o o i s a v a i l a b l e i n l a r g e

q u a n t i t i e s a l l o v e r t h e c o u n t r y ,

a n d t h e fac t t h a t t h e r o t a t i o n o f

t h e b a m b o o c r o p i s o f f o u r t o

f i v e .yea r s g i v e s t o b a m b o o a n

a d v a n t a g e o v e r t h e s p r u c e a n d

p i n e w h i c h a r e t h e a l t e r n a t i v e

sources .

' ' I n d i a ' s l i n s e e d c r o p s f u r n i s h

2 0 l a k h t ons o f l i n s e e d s t r a w

e v e r y y e a r . T h e suga r i n d u s ­

t r y p r o d u c e s m o r e t h a n 3 l a k h

tons o f begasse f o r w h i c h t h e

o n l y use a t p r e s e n t i s as f u e l .

Kans g r o w i n g w i l d o v e r va s t

t r a c t s o f u n c u l t i v a t e d l a n d i s

r e g a r d e d as a m e n a c e b u t is a

p o t e n t i a l r a w m a t e r i a l f o r t h e

p a p e r i n d u s t r y . " — D r . S . S .

B h a t n a g a r .

I t i s c a l c u l a t e d t h a t 2.5 tons o f

b a m b o o a r e r e q u i r e d t o p r o d u c e

o n e t o n o f p a p e r . T o p r o d u c e

t h e r e f o r e I n d i a ' s f u l l r e q u i r e ­

m e n t s o f p a p e r f r o m th i s s o u r c e

a l o n e i s v e r y easy.

T h e P a n e l o n P a p e r w h i c h t h e

G o v e r n m e n t o f I n d i a a p p o i n t e d

i n 1945 has r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t

e x p e r i m e n t s s h o u l d b e c o n d u c t e d

t o g r o w o t h e r grasses a n d w o o d

s u i t a b l e f o r m a k i n g p u l p o n a

c o m m e r c i a l scale .

A s f o r w o o d p u l p , a b u n d a n t

.supplies o f s p r u c e , f i r a n d p i n e

a r e a v a i l a b l e a l l a l o n g t h e N o r t h

H i m a l a y a n r e g i o n . T e h r i G a r h -

w a l , K a s h m i r , D a r j e e l i n g a n d

N e p a l a r e c e n t r e s w h e r e p u l p

m i l l s m a y b e set u p . I n t h e n e a r

f u t u r e , w h e n n e w s p r i n t m i l l s

a n d r a y o n f ac to r i e s a re l i k e l y t o

engage the a t t e n t i o n o f I n d i a n

i n d u s t r i a l i s t s , m a n u f a c t u r e o f

p u l p o n a v e r y l a r g e scale w i l l

h a v e t o b e u n d e r t a k e n .

C o t t o n was t e , w a s t e p a p e r ,

rags , h e m p a n d reeds a n d a hos t

o f o t h e r w e l l - k n o w n sources o f

p a p e r a r e a lso a v a i l a b l e i n l a r g e

q u a n t i t i e s . I n v i e w o f t h e a b u n ­

d a n c e a n d t h e u n i v e r s a l i t y o f t h e

r a w m a t e r i a l s f o r m a k i n g p a p e r

a n d b o a r d o f a l l so r t s , i t i s a

s u p e r e r o g a t o r y t a s k t o set u p

f r e s h C o m m i s s i o n s a n d a p p o i n t

spec i a l o f f ice rs f o r a s u r v e y o f

t h e m a t e r i a l s , a s t h e P a n e l r e ­

c o m m e n d s .

T h e t o t a l w o r l d p r o d u c t i o n o f

n e w s p r i n t i n 1948 w a s a b o u t 7½

m i l l i o n tons . S i x t y p e r c e r t o f

t h i s w a s p r o d u c e d b y C a n a d a a n d

N e w f o u n d l a n d . I n d i a does n o t

p r o d u c e a n y n e w s p r i n t b u t she

c o n s u m e s a b o u t 50,000 tons . I t i s

p r o b a b l e t h a t t h e r e w i l l b e a

s h a r p r i s e i n t h e c o n s u m p t i o n

f i gu re s o f I n d i a i n t h e c o m i n g

yea r s .

T h e r e i s a t p r e s e n t u n d e r c o n ­

s t r u c t i o n one N e w s p r i n t M i l l i n

C h a n d a i n t h e C e n t r a l P r o v i n c e s .

T h e sponsors o f t h e s c h e m e h a v e

b e e n a b l e t o e n l i s t t h e a c t i v e s u p ­

p o r t o f t h e P r o v i n c i a l G o v e r n ­

m e n t , w h i c h has a r e p u t a t i o n o f

t a k i n g a d i r e c t a n d a c t i v e i n t e r e s t

i n t h e i n d u s t r i a l i s a t i o n o f t h e

P r o v i n c e , I n s p i t e o f v e r y a c t i v e

p r o p a g a n d a a n d p r o f u s e , i f a l m o s t

u n w i s e l y e x t r a v a g a n t , e x p e n d i ­

t u r e o n p u b l i c i t y , t h e m a n a g e ­

m e n t has b e e n u n a b l e t o r a i s e

m u c h c a p i t a l f r o m t h e p u b l i c .

T h e P r o v i n c i a l g o v e r n m e n t has

l a t t e r l y a p p o i n t e d a S e n i o r G o v ­

e r n m e n t Of f i ce r a s M a n a g e r o f

t h e C o m p a n y , t h e r e b y r ea s su r ­

i n g t h e i n v e s t o r s a b o u t t h e s a f e ty

o f t h e i r c a p i t a l . T h e p o t e n t i a l

c a p a c i t y o f t h e m i l l i s 20,000 t ons

a y e a r . P r o d u c t i o n i s e x p e c t e d

t o s t a r t i n a n o t h e r y e a r .

T h r e e n e w s p r i n t m i l l s o f l i k e

c a p a c i t y , one i n o r n e a r T e h r i

G a r h w a l , one n e a r D a r e e l i n g ,

a n d a t h i r d n e a r t h e fo res t a reas

o f t h e W e s t e r n G h a t s w i t h i n a

r e a s o n a b l e d i s t a n c e o f B o m b a y

s h o u l d b e i m m e d i a t e l y set u p

a n d t h e y w o u l d m e e t t h e r e q u i r e ­

m e n t s o f I n d i a f o r t h e n e x t f e w

y e a r s .

T o s t i m u l a t e e n t e r p r i s e i n t h i s

14

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1 7 t h S e p t e m b e r 1949 E C O N O M I C W E E K L Y

d i r e c t i o n t h e G o v e r n m e n t s h o u l d

g i v e a l l p o s s i b l e h e l p .

S i n c e m o r e t h a n h a l f t h e

W o r l d ' s p o p u l a t i o n i s s t i l l i l l i t e r a t e

a n d l i t e r a c y i s t h e l a r g e s t s i n g l e

f a c t o r g o v e r n i n g t h e d e m a n d f o r

p a p e r , t h e scope f o r t h e e x p a n ­

s i o n o f t h e p a p e r i n d u s t r y s h o u l d

b e u n l i m i t e d . W i t h t h e a t t a i n ­

m e n t o f I n d e p e n d e n c e , I n d i a i s

m a k i n g a b i g d r i v e t o w a r d s f u l l

l i t e r a c y . T h e a d o p t i o n o f H i n d i

a s t h e n a t i o n a l l a n g u a g e , t h e i n ­

c rease i n t h e n u m b e r o f U n i v e r ­

s i t i e s , t h e f a c i l i t i e s f o r u n i v e r s a l

p r i m a r y e d u c a t i o n — a l l these w i l l

a c c e l e r a t e t h e d e m a n d f o r p a p e r .

B u t p a p e r i s s o m e t h i n g m o r e

t h a n a m e d i u m o f c o m m u n i c a t i o n .

T h e l as t w a r b r o u g h t o u t i t s i m ­

p o r t a n c e a s m u n i t i o n o f

w a r . I t s v a l u e a s a s t r a t e g i c

m a t e r i a l i s o n a p a r w i t h s t ee l ,

c e m e n t , a n d c h e m i c a l s . I n t h e

l a s t w a r " p a p e r c u p s a n d t u m b ­

l e r s , l i g h t e r i n w e i g h t , h y g i e n i -

c a l l y b e t t e r a n d e c o n o m i c a l l y

c h e a p e r , r e p l a c e d t h e t r a d i t i o n a l

g lass a n d m e t a l u t e n s i l s . P a p e r

b a g s - r e p l a c e d j u t e a n d hes s i an

bags f o r t h e p a c k i n g o f a n u m b e r

o f c o m m o d i t i e s a n d p a p e r c o n ­

t a i n e r s f o r p a c k i n g f o o d , m e d i c i n e

a n d c o s m e t i c s w e r e u s e d t o save

s t ee l . P a p e r w a s a l so e m p l o y e d

i n n u m e r o u s o t h e r w a y s , f o r

e x a m p l e , i m p r e g n a t e d w i t h r e ­

s ins o r w a x e s f o r h i g h i n s u l a t i o n

a n d l a m i n a t e s . " ( B h a t n a g a r ) .

T h e p e r c a p i t a c o n s u m p t i o n o f

p a p e r i n I n d i a i s o n l y 1 l b . p e r

y e a r , w h i l e i n t h e U n i t e d K i n g ­

d o m i t i s 154 lbs . , i n C a n a d a 174

l b s . a n d i n t h e U n i t e d S ta t e s o f

A m e r i c a 350 l b s . T h e n e x t

t w e n t y f i v e y e a r s i n t h i s c o u n t r y

w i l l see a n u n p r e c e n d e n t e d r a t e

o f c o n s u m p t i o n o f p a p e r . A c o m ­

p a r i s o n w i t h t h e E n g l a n d o f t h e

e i g h t e e n n i n e t i e s i s i r r e s i s t i b l e .

T h e E d u c a t i o n A c t o f 1870 i n

E n g l a n d b o r e i t s h a r v e s t i n t h e

v i se a n d p o p u l a r i t y o f t h e m o d e r n

E n g l i s h N e w s p a p e r . W i t h t h e

s p r e a d o f l i t e r a c y i n t h i s c o u n t r y ,

t h e c h e a p m o d e r n n e w s p a p e r

w i t h i t s m a m m o t h c i r c u l a t i o n w i l l

s oon m a k e i t s a p p e a r a n c e . A l s o ,

a s i n R u s s i a , t e x t - b o o k s a n d p o p u ­

l a r l i t e r a t u r e w i l l b e p u b l i s h e d i n

e d i t i o n s w h i c h r u n i n t o m i l l i o n s

o f cop ies .

I n v i e w o f t h e a b o v e , t h e f o l ­

l o w i n g m e a s u r e s n e e d i m m e d i a t e

i m p l e m e n t a t i o n i n o r d e r t o assist

t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e i n d u s t r y :

1 . T h e i m p o r t o f b a l e d n e w s ­

p a p e r a s c h e a p w r a p p i n g p a p e r

s h o u l d b e e n t i r e l y s t o p p e d . T h e

f o l l o w i n g t a b l e g i v e s t h e q u a n t i t y

a n d v a l u e o f s u c h i m p o r t s d u r i n g

t h e f o u r p r e - w a r y e a r s :

P a p e r I m p o r t s

T h u s I n d i a spen t a c r o r e a n d a

h a l f r u p e e s i n i m p o r t i n g o l d

n e w s p a p e r s . I f t h a t s u m h a d

b e e n spent , i n t hose d a y s w h e n

m a c h i n e r y a n d p e r s o n n e l w e r e

cheap , t o set u p n e w s p r i n t o r

15

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E C O N O M I C W E E K L Y 1 7 t h S e p t e m b e r 1949

p a p e r m i l l s , t h e c o u n t r y w o u l d

h a v e r e a p e d a r i c h h a r v e s t .

2 . T h e G o v e r n m e n t s h o u l d

d i r e c t l y o r i n d i r e c t l y h e l p i n t h e

s e t t i n g u p o f a t leas t t h r e e n e w s ­

p r i n t m i l l s e x c l u d i n g t h e p r e s e n t

o n e u n d e r c o n s t r u c t i o n .

T h e d o u b l i n g o f p r o d u c t i o n o f

t h e p a p e r m i l l s s h o u l d b e t h e i m ­

m e d i a t e t a r g e t ; a n d a l l p o s s i b l e

a ids , a s t a r i f f p r o t e c t i o n , t r a n s p o r t

f a c i l i t i e s , r a w m a t e r i a l s a n d

c h e m i c a l s p r o c u r e m e n t s etc. ,

s h o u l d b e m a d e a v a i l a b l e t o t h e

i n d u s t r y t o a t t r a c t c a p i t a l .

3 . P u l p m i l l s s h o u l d b e esta­

b l i s h e d i n r e g i o n s w h e r e p i n e , f i r

a n d s p r u c e , b a m b o o a n d bagasse,

c o t t o n w a s t e a n d l i n s e e d s t r a w

a n d o t h e r r a w m a t e r i a l s a r e

a v a i l a b l e i n p l e n t y . T h i s w i l l

r e d u c e t h e h e a v y h a u l a g e cha rges

a n d h i g h p r i c e s o f r a w m a t e r i a l s ,

w h i c h t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e m i l l s

has n o w t o p a y . P u l p m i l l c o m ­

p a n i e s s h o u l d b e se t u p w i t h G o v ­

e r n m e n t a i d , i f p r i v a t e c a p i t a l i s

n o t f o r t h c o m i n g .

4 . A s D r . S . S . B h a t n a g a r ,

F . R . S . , D i r e c t o r o f S c i e n t i f i c a n d

I n d u s t r i a l R e s e a r c h has o f t e n

p o i n t e d o u t , t h e p a p e r i n d u s t r y

s h o u l d i m m e d i a t e l y set u p a p a p e r

R e s e a r c h A s s o c i a t i o n . D r . B h a t ­

n a g a r has a l r e a d y h e l p e d t o b r i n g

i n t o e x i s t e n c e o t h e r s u c h assoc i ­

a t i o n s . T h e C e l l u l o s e a n d P a p e r

s e c t i o n o f t h e F o r e s t R e s e a r c h

I n s t i t u t e i n D e h r a D u n has d o n e

g o o d w o r k i n i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e

p o s s i b i l i t i e s o f u t i l i s a t i o n o f v a r i ­

o u s i n d i g e n o u s f i b r e s a n d f i b r o u s

m a t e r i a l f o r t h e p r o d u c t i o n o f

p a p e r , b o a r d s a n d k r a f t B u t a s

t h e i n d u s t r y d e v e l o p s , v a r i o u s

o t h e r p r o b l e m s w i l l h a v e t o b e

t a c k l e d , w h i c h w o u l d b e b e y o n d

t h e l i m i t e d c a p a c i t y o f t h e F o r e s t

R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e . T h e d i s p o s a l

of w a s t e e f f l u e n t s i s s u c h a p r o ­

b l e m . T h e use o f s u l p h i t e l i q u o r

as a s o u r c e of l i g n i n a n d yeas t i s

a r e s e a r c h p r o b l e m w o r t h i n v e s t i ­

g a t i n g w h i c h m a y l e a d t o g r e a t

c o m m e r c i a l a d v a n t a g e .