Govt announces financial assistance to sugarcane farmers

Pune, June 14 (UNI) Maharashtra Cooperation Minister Patangrao Kadam today announced financial assistance of Rs 50 crore to farmers for their standing sugarcane crop and an additional Rs 110 crore subsidy for those complying with their repayment schedules on loans, getting a 4 per cent rebate on them.

Talking to mediapersons here, Kadam said the state has produced 91 lakh metric tonnes of sugar. ''However, around ten lakh metric tonnes of sugarcane crop is still standing in Marathwada,that will not be allowed to be crushed'', he said.

''The government will give the farmers Rs 50 crore for the losses. The crushing season is over in 27 sugar factories in Vidarbha and Western Maharashtra and in some remaining factories, it will be crushed by June 20'', he said.

The Collectors and Revenue officials in some districts of Marathwada and all other places, where crushing was not allowed, will begin surveying the standing sugarcane crop from tomorrow to avail the financial package, he said.

The minister said, Maharashtra is the only state in the country to have given farmers loans at the rate of 6 per cent last year and the scheme was twice extended till June 30. This will continue for another year and an additional Rs 100 crore subsidy has been given to farmers who are following repayment schedules on loans of Rs 25,000. They will now be given a rebate of 4 per cent, implying that the farmer who is repaying in timely manner will get loans at 2 per cent, he said.

UNI