Minister for Cooperation and Sugar H.S. Mahadeva Prasad said that ongoing overhauling of machinery at the State-owned Mysore Sugar Company Ltd. (Mysugar Mill), which commenced in July last year, would be completed by December.
He was speaking after inaugurating the 63rd National Cooperative Week at Sri Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar Kala Mandir here on Saturday.
The mill will start crushing activities from January 15, 2017, said Mr. Prasad, who is also the chairman of Mysore Sugar Company Ltd.
Funds
A sum of Rs. 95 crore was already spent on overhauling works of boiler and other machinery. An additional amount of Rs. 11 crore has also been released for the remaining works of the mill.
The Mysugar Mill is considered to be the lifeline of cane-growers in the district, to facilitate the commencement of sugarcane crushing for the 2017-18 season.
Administrative procedures had hindered the pace of the ongoing renovation. The technically validated tests on machines will be conducted in December.
The sugar mill will generate electricity through the co-generation unit from August 2017 by procuring bagasse, Mr. Prasad said.
Mr. Prasad faced some embarrassing moments while addressing the gathering.
Protest
A group of people attempted to disrupt his speech by expressing their unhappiness over the delay in reviving the mill.
They said the State government was least bothered about the sugarcane growers. They demanded that the State government’s announce a waiver on farm loans.
Zero interest loan scheme
Meanwhile, the Minister urged small and marginal farmers to use the State government’s schemes such as loans and subsidies.
The government had issued Rs. 10,400 crores of loans to around 21 lakh farmers in the last three years, he said.
