Patna: The long wait for sugar mills to reopen in Bihar may soon be over. Chief Secretary Pratyaya Amrit on Monday chaired a high-level meeting aimed at reviving the state’s sugarcane industry and increasing farmers’ income.
The meeting brought together senior officials to discuss the establishment of new sugar mills and the revival of closed ones. The committee’s primary objective is to formulate policies and action plans to ensure higher returns for farmers while creating employment opportunities across the state.
Narmadeshwar Lal, Principal Secretary of the Sugarcane Industry Department, presented the current status of operational and closed sugar mills in Bihar. Following the review, the Chief Secretary directed the department to conduct a thorough study of all relevant documents pertaining to existing and proposed mills. A consolidated report will be presented in the committee’s next meeting.
The committee is chaired by the Chief Secretary and includes top officials from the Finance, Industry, Cooperation, Sugarcane Industry, and Agriculture departments. Provisions have also been made to involve national and international experts in the field as required.
Meanwhile, representatives of the Sugarcane Cultivators’ Association met Sugarcane Industry Minister Sanjay Kumar and Sugarcane Commissioner Anil Jha to present a memorandum of demands on behalf of the state’s farmers. The memorandum called for fixing the price of sugarcane at Rs 600 per quintal for the current season, strict enforcement of the Sugarcane Act, timely payments to farmers, and installation of weighing machines near mills.
The association also requested a calendar system for sugarcane supply, subsidised fertilizers and seeds, and farmer training programs to promote advanced and quality cultivation.
Responding to the memorandum, the Sugarcane Industry Minister said discussions with mill owners on these points would take place soon, and “appropriate decisions will be made in the best interests of farmers.”
