Plan to be drafted for revival, upgradation of State Cooperative Sugar Mills – D P Reddy
Chandigarh February 8:
The Punjab government is all set to revive and upgrade the lose making Sugar Mills in the state by implementing a consultative report being drafted by the expert committee.
Disclosing this here today Additional Chief Secretary Cooperation Mr. D.P. Reddy said that on the direction of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh, the cooperation department would draft a plan to rejuvenate the running cooperative Sugar Mills in the state.
While presiding over a meeting of the Committee of Experts constituted by the state government held here today, he informed that in order to safeguard the interests of sugarcane growers in the State, the Punjab Government had decided to implement a plan for up gradation, setting up of distilleries for production of ethanol and co-generation etc. for revival of financial health of the loss-making cooperative sugar mills.
He said the experts’ committee had earlier discussed various issues regarding problems faced by the sugar mills in the State during January this. In today’s meeting, the various experts gave their valuable suggestions for making Cooperative Sugar Mills self-sustainable in view of the prevailing situation of the sugar industry in the country.
He informed that in addition to the national level experts of the sugar industry, the Registrar, Cooperative Societies Punjab, Managing Director, Sugarfed Punjab, Managing Director, Puncofed Punjab and elected representatives of the Cooperative Sugar Mills also participated in the meeting.
During the meeting, he informed the experts presented their suggestions regarding sugarcane cultivation which includes the development of high yielding and sugar content sugarcane varieties, to provide good varieties of sugarcane seed to farmers including problems regarding cane harvesting and labour. He added that the issues regarding technology improvements and sugar & ethanol production were also discussed.
Mr. Reddy revealed that this committee would shortly submit the final report to the state government which would be placed for the consideration before a Cabinet Sub Committee.
