SDF for power generation in mills soon

SDF for power generation in mills soon
ENS ECONOMIC BUREAU

NEW DELHI, JAN 22: The Government today decided to channel the sugar development fund (SDF) for financing commercially viable schemes for sugar by-products manufacturing and co-generation of electricity in sugar mills.

Consumer affairs and public distribution minister Shanta Kumar told newspersons here today that the by-laws of the SDF would be suitably amended to facilitate transfer of part of the Rs 800 crore funds lying with the government for such ventures.

He pointed out that the SDF was created with the cess collected from the mills for the purpose of supporting schemes for cane development. The new decision would facilitate utilisation of the cess fund for diversifying the processing of sugarcane for newer products along with the traditional sugar.

Shanta Kumar said the government was keen to enlarge the products range from the sugar mills to facilitate better earning for the sugarcane farmers and the mills. The by-products manufacturing would also make Indian sugar competitive in international markets, he added.

The minister pointed out that some vaible schemes for co-generation of electrcity from the waste bagasse were already submitted by the mills. Other schemes for manufacturing more new products from the sugarcane in the mills also would be eligible for financail support from the SDF, he added.

Shanta Kumar said the government was in touch with the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) and Sugar Research Institutes for broadening the proudcts range from sugarcane and thereby improve the earning of the farmers as well as the sugar mills, he added.