AFT mill to restart production from tomorrow: Puducherry government

The mill became last year following financial crisis, damages caused by the cyclonic weather and industrial disputes

The Puducherry government owned Anglo French Textiles here, which was closed for over a year, will reopen and restart production in a phased manner from tomorrow, V Bhalan, Chairman Puducherry Textiles Corporation, today said.

Chief Minister N Rangasamy would formally switch on the spinning section at Iyyankuttipalayam tomorrow and also commission the processing section at Mudaliarpet subsequently, he told reporters here.

Bhalan said revival of the mill became possible with Rs seven crore available as grant from the Puducherry government. Funds were also mobilised for reviving the mill by selling some rusted machinery and availing loans from banks.

Though the Centre was approached for Rs 500 crore grant for modernising the mill, there was no positive response, he alleged.

The mill became defunct more than a year ago following financial crisis, damages caused by the cyclonic weather and also industrial disputes, he said.

The initiatives taken by the management to procure grants for some time now from Puducherry government proved fruitful and with Rs 7 crore available from the administration the mill is being revived in a phased manner, he said

The more than 100 year old AFT mill, popularly known as Rodier mill, was taken over by Puducherry government in 1985. Puducherry Textiles Corporation was set up for running the mill.