Gopalganj: The Bihar government’s campaign to revive 25 defunct sugar mills gained momentum on Friday following a high-level inspection of the historic Sasamusa sugar mill in Gopalganj. Senior officials from the state’s sugarcane industry department and representatives of Karnataka-based Nirani Group assessed the feasibility of restoring operations and discussed the settlement of long-pending dues owed to farmers and former employees.
Additional chief secretary K Senthil and Nirani Group chair Durgesh Nirani arrived by helicopter to evaluate the facility, accompanied by sugarcane industry commissioner JPN Singh and local officials. The delegation carried out a detailed review of the mill’s infrastructure, machinery and land availability, raising expectations among farmers and workers that the unit could soon resume production after years of closure.
Speaking after the inspection, Nirani said the company plans to transform the site into a multi-product industrial unit rather than a conventional sugar factory. The proposal includes sourcing paddy and maize alongside sugarcane to produce bio-based products, a move expected to diversify income streams for farmers and create new employment opportunities in the district.
The group said the mill currently has about 40–45 acres of land, some of which is under lease, but expansion and modernisation would require additional space. Discussions with the state government are under way to address land requirements and regulatory clearances. Senthil meanwhile stressed that clearing outstanding payments to farmers and former employees remains a priority, with efforts focused on resolving legal and financial hurdles before operations restart.
The Sasamusa mill has remained shut since a boiler explosion in December 2017–18 that killed nine workers and halted production indefinitely. Authorities believe its revival could provide a significant boost to the local economy, generating direct and indirect employment while strengthening ancillary industries and improving price realisation and payment timelines for farmers.
