While reviewing the performance of sugarcane and sugar industries, Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat expressed concern over  the burgeoning loss the sugar mills have been incurring while exhorting all concerned to work together to reduce the quantum of loss.

CM asked the officials concerned to meet the finance department officials about the prompt clearance of the arrears of the sugarcane growers and then to submit the report to him.   CM was informed that Nadehi and Bazpur sugar mills have been upgraded following  MoU signed with UJVNl for co-power generation. As per the estimate, 22 MW will be generated in Bazpur sugar mill while 16 MW in Nadehi sugar mill.  During the last crushing season -2016-17, sugarcane cultivation area was 84956 hectare. However, this year, the cultivation area  has been extended to one lakh hectare. In the State, there are 1.74 lakh sugarcane farmers and 14 cooperative committees and one sugar mill committee supply sugarcane to eight sugar mills located across the State. During 2016-17, the sugar mills had crushed 350.60 lakh quintal sugarcane and produced 34.56 lakh sugar.

The figures were better than those of the crushing season 2015-16, the officials claimed. The increase in the quantum of productivity was attributed to better functioning of  the  cooperatives and  the public sector- run mills this season.

The production has gone up by 0.16 percent, they said. CM was informed that since the formation of the new government, the state-based mills have made payment to the tune of Rs 137.27 crore- including Rs  119.51 by private mills and Rs 17.76 crore by cooperative and public sector mills. Since Gadarpur sugar mill was closed, 118 acres of land along with the equipment have been lying unused with employees and the banks remaining unpaid as far as their dues are concerned.

Among those present at the meeting were  secretary drinking water Arvind Singh Hyanki, secretary to CM Radhika Jha, additional secretary Raghav langer and additional secretary sugarcane Pradeep Rawat.