The Maharashtra government on Wednesday announced an incentive scheme to encourage quality performance among cooperative and private sugar factories in the state. Six factories — three cooperative and three private — will be selected annually for awards. The government has issued a resolution in this regard.
According to the government resolution, sugar factories will be assessed on nine parameters, including timely payment of the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) to farmers for three consecutive years, sugar recovery rate, incentives provided to farmers with high per-hectare production, use of artificial intelligence, maximum area coverage, low carbon emissions and high carbon credits, timely repayment of government loans, adherence to employee strength limits and salary distribution, and sound financial management.
FRP payments will carry 15 points, while financial management and employee limits will have 5 points each. All other criteria will be worth 10 points each.
A two-tier committee system will handle the selection process. The Screening Committee will be chaired by the Sugar Commissioner, with the Joint Director of Sugar (Pune) as the Member Secretary. Members will include directors from the Economics and Administration divisions of the Sugar Commissioner’s office, representatives from the Vasantdada Sugar Institute and the sugar federation, and two independent experts in economics, engineering, or agriculture related to the sugar industry.
Additionally, a Steering Committee has been formed under the chairmanship of the Minister of Cooperation, with the Deputy Secretary of the Cooperation Department as the Member Secretary. Other members include the Minister of State for Cooperation, the Principal Secretary of the Cooperation Department, and the Sugar Commissioner.
According to the resolution, the Selection Committee will choose the final three best cooperative and three best private sugar factories from the proposals submitted by the Screening Committee. The prize amounts have not yet been determined.
Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on September 30 that the sugarcane crushing season for 2025–26 would commence on November 1. The decision was taken at a ministerial committee meeting chaired by the Chief Minister, in view of heavy rains and flood-related losses in several parts of the state, an official statement said.
The government also decided to levy Rs 10 per tonne of sugarcane for the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and Rs 5 per tonne for assistance to flood-affected farmers.
(IANS)