Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Mr. Trivendra Singh Rawat held a review meeting of Sugarcane Development and Sugar industry departments at secretariat. Minister of Sugarcane development Parkash Pant was present in the meeting.
To pay sugarcane farmers’ arrears of Rs. 217 crore agreed in principle
Chief Minister Mr. Trivendra Singh Rawat said that his government is committed to the welfare of the sugarcane farmers and their arrears of sugarcane worth Rs. 217 crore will be paid. Sugarcane Development Minister Parkash Pant said that the difference of the support price announced by the central government and the sugarcane price announced by the state government will be paid by the state government. He said that in this regard against a total of Rs. 440 crore, a sum of Rs. 223 crore has been paid while a sum of Rs.217 crore of sugarcane arrears are pending.
Sugar mills to get interest free loan to pay salaries to employees
It was informed in the meeting that due to extra ordinary dip in the prices of sugar, the financial condition of sugar mills has turned bad. A sum of Rs. 95.79 crore has been required to pay the salaries of employees of Bazpur, Nadehi,Kiccha and Doiwala sugarmills. The Chief Minister Mr. Trivendra Singh Rawat agreed in principle to provide interest free loans to sugar mills to pay the salaries of the employees. He directed Finance Secretary Amit Negi to hold a meeting with officials of sugarcane department to chalk out a work plan. The Chief Minister said that workers of sugar mills cannot be left without giving them salaries. However, he asked the managements of sugar mills to adopt strict economic discipline. He warned the managements of sugar mills that dependence on state government time and again for their own mismanagement is not good. He said that sugar mills should come out with progressive steps to improve their condition.
Modernization of sugar mills requirement of time: CM
Chief Minister said work on the modernization of sugar mills should be started to make them profit making units. Sugarcane Development Minister Parkash Pant informed that plans are afoot to modernize Kiccha, Bazpur, Nadehi and Doiwala sugar mills. He said that orders have been issued for signing an MOU with UJVNL for setting up co-generation plants to produce electricity at Bazpur and Nadehi sugar mills. A survey will be done for co-generation of power at Kiccha sugar mill. Directions have also been given to send the proposal of ETP (Efflvent Treatment Plant) of Bazpur distillery to NCDC (National Cooperative Development Corporation) which will be guaranteed by the state government. For the Sitarganj and Gadarpur sugar mills, similar industries have been given preference and decided to get EOI from private sector.
Information given by Sugarcane Development Minister
Sugarcane Development Minister Parkash Pant informed that the sugarcane plantation area in the last one year has increased from 84956 hectares to 86053 hectares. The crushing of sugarcane has marked an increase of one lakh 60 quintal in the past year. The production of sugar in the past one year has increased from 34.55 lakh quintal to 41.69 lakh quintal and the recovery percentage has also increased from 9.86 per cent to 10.19 per cent.
Finance Secretary Amit Negi,, Secretary Power Radhika Jha, Secretary Sugarcane development Indudhar Baudoi, general managers of sugar mills and other officers were present in the meeting .
