Paper to print currency note be printed in India; need for research to find newer raw materials to produce paper: Narendra Modi
Ahmedabad, Saturday: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today stressed on the need to indigenize producing paper for printing currency notes. It is a matter of disgrace that the paper printing Mahatma Gandhi’s watermark on the currency notes should be imported.
Inaugurating the 51st All India Paper Traders’ Conference under the aegis of Ahmedabad Paper Merchants Association here, he said the ample water and electricity are the prerequisite of paper manufacturing. He said that Gujarat is a major producer of paper in the country. Gujarat has also excellent infrastructure like uninterrupted power, broadband connectivity and gas-grid for setting up industries. He invited more paper manufacturers to the state.
It is for the first time the conference is being held in Ahmedabad and the organizers have invited a chief minister to inaugurate.
Mr. Modi said that per capita consumption of paper is very low in India. It is a big importer of paper too. There is scope for increasing production, as well as research to find newer sources of raw materials, besides recycling waste papers. There is scope for research in producing paper with less water and electricity. He cited Navsari Agricultural University’s experiment in producing paper from the barks of banana tree. It is found to last longer than other varieties.
The Chief Minister felicitated senior paper traders on the occasion.