Haryana : Ambala sugar mill clears arrears of farmers
Naraingarh Sugar Mills in Ambala has cleared farmers’ arrears from previous seasons, with ₹22.95 crore from the current season pending. Cane crushing was the lowest this season at 55.34 quintals, but the recovery rate remained stable at 10.45%. The government provided subsidies, and no bank loans were taken this season to pay farmers.
The Naraingarh Sugar Mills in Ambala has cleared the arrears of farmers. While the peasants have been paid the pending bills of previous seasons, the process to clear the current season’s outstanding amount of Rs 22.95 crore is underway.
The development assumes significance as the farmers used to hold protests and gherao the premises of the mill against non-payment of dues of the previous years.
“The sugar mill has done very well this season as compared to previous years and the farmers are happy not only to get their arrears, but also to receive the pay for the current season,” Aditi, SDM, Naraingarh told said here today.
Sharing the details, she said the arrears for 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 amounted to Rs 294.09 crore, of which the outstanding amount for 2017-18 and 2018-19 of Rs 215.14 crore had already been cleared, while Rs 56 crore of the current season had also been released. “As on July 20 the mill owes Rs 22.95 crore to the farmers and the payment process was in progress,” she disclosed.
As compared to previous years, the cane crushed this season remained the lowest at 55.34 quintals, while 66.85 quintals and 61.24 quintals of cane was crushed in 2017-18 and 2018-19, respectively. However, the recovery rate of this season remained 10.45 per cent on a par with the last year, while it was 10.37 per cent in 2017-18.
Official figures revealed that the total deficit this season also came down drastically from Rs 63.22 crore in 2017-18 to Rs 22.95 crore, while it was Rs 45.74 crore last year.
The state government had already released Rs 9.16 crore subsidy for this season, while Rs 18.03 crore subsidy was given in 2018-19 and Rs 7-10 crore in 2017-18. Last year, the mill had also availed Rs 60-crore bank loan to pay to the farmers, while no advance was availed this season.
“Of the total 7,124 farmers, who supplied sugarcane to the mill this season, only 2,709 were yet to receive Rs 22.95 crore,” the SDM said, while adding that the mill’s performance improved despite several challenges, especially those posed due to the Covid pandemic this season.
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Source : The Tribune
