The Hindu Business Line : RPL takes up Rs 66-cr replantation project

REHABILITATION Plantations Ltd (RPL), a joint venture of the State and the Centre, has taken up a Rs 66-crore project for replantation of rubber trees.

The project is envisaged to be taken up in a phased manner in the company's estates, according to a statement from RPL.

The company was set up with the objective of providing employment to the repatriates from Sri Lanka as per Indo-Ceylon agreement. The rehabilitation scheme started by the Kerala Forest Department in 1972 was later converted into a government company.

The company has been making profits since 1980-81 and in 2004-05, it made a profit before tax of Rs 5.27 crore. The better performance during the year has been attributed to higher price realisation for the company's produce.

RPL's rubber plantations are spread over 2,035 hectares of leased forestland and the company also owns natural rubber processing and industrial sheets manufacturing units. It markets the natural rubber in value-added forms such as 60 per cent concentrated latex and crumb rubber.

The company provides employment to 1,400 workers drawn from 700 families. RPL is the first public sector plantation company in the country that has been accredited with ISO 9001:2000 certification for quality management system, the statement said.

The company's authorised capital is Rs 3.5 crore. Of the paid-up capital of Rs 339.27 lakh, the Union Government holds 40 per cent (Rs 133.42 lakh) and the Kerala Government the rest (Rs 205.85 lakh).

The company had declared 20 per cent dividend for 2004-05 and paid Rs 13.91 lakh to the Union Government and Rs 25.73 lakh to the State Government.

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