Patna: The Bihar government has taken an important step to support sugarcane farmers by extending the last date for applying to its jaggery production scheme. Farmers and investors can now apply online until December 25 through the official portal ccs.bihar.gov.in. The scheme aims to promote jaggery manufacturing in the state, increase farmers’ income, and create more employment opportunities in rural areas.
Under this scheme, the government will provide financial assistance of up to 50% of the total cost of setting up a jaggery manufacturing unit. The amount of grant depends on the sugarcane crushing capacity of the unit. Smaller units with a capacity of 5 to 20 tonnes per day will receive a maximum grant of Rs 6 lakh, helping small farmers and local entrepreneurs enter the jaggery business.
Medium-sized units with a crushing capacity of 21 to 40 tonnes per day will be eligible for grants of up to Rs 15 lakh. Units processing 41 to 60 tonnes of sugarcane daily can receive financial support of up to Rs 45 lakh. These incentives are expected to encourage farmers to move beyond raw sugarcane sales and invest in value-added production.
For large jaggery units with a crushing capacity of more than 60 tonnes per day, the government will provide grants of up to Rs 1 crore. Officials say this will strengthen the sugarcane sector in Bihar by improving local processing facilities and reducing farmers’ dependence on sugar mills. The government also believes the scheme will generate new jobs at the village level and give fresh momentum to Bihar’s traditional jaggery industry.
