Sops to sugar factories that extend crushing season

Mumbai, May 21 (UNI) Maharashtra Cabinet has approved concessions to sugar factories that continue to crush cane beyond 160 days.

The Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, has also given its nod to provide compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare for the sugarcane that remains uncrushed.

The Cabinet also lifted the ban on the sale on the lakhi gram which is cultivated in the Vidarbha region.

Against the backdrop of the power shortage in the state, the Cabinet has decided on a five-year tariff concession, on power from generators, for non-industrial purposes. The state has 6334 generator sets out of which 3639 are for non-industrial purposes.

The government will bear a burden of Rs 1.18 crore as a result of this decision.

The Cabinet also sanctioned Rs 101 crore as state's share in new projects undertaken by the Railway Ministry.

Earlier, the Cabinet paid homage to veteran playwright Vijay Tendulkar by observing a two-minute silence.

UNI JM MAZ SKB1938