Govt to revive sugar factories in co-op sector

Vijayawada: The government on Tuesday constituted an expert committee to make recommendations for the revival of sugar factories in cooperative sector in the state.

The government has given two month’s time for the three-member panel to study the issue and suggest measures for the revival. The committee would prepare the road map for revival, restructuring, manpower requirement, repairs to the machinery or alteration, cane development programme to be initiated under each factory.

The committee was formed in accordance with the state government’s decision that had allotted Rs 100 crore in the 2019-20 budget.

A technical committee consisting of chief engineer, advisor (process) and chief agriculture officer was appointed by the government earlier, which had already submitted its report. This committee had made a study and assessment of the present condition of the sugar plant and its machinery and the sugarcane production in its catchment area.

Based on this report, the government has now constituted an expert committee to make recommendations for the revival of the sugar factories. The committee will visit six cooperative sugar factories in the state, which were closed a few years ago and which were taken up for revival. The committee was authorised to visit the premises of these six factories located in Chittoor, Renigunta, Anakapalle, Vemuru (Guntur), Chennur (Kadapa) and Kovuru (West Godavari).