Agriculture Department to Control Sugar Factory

The BJP-led Goa government has decided to handover the control of a sugar factory managed by its Cooperative department to the Agriculture ministry. This decision has been made under the constant demands by farmers. 

Farmers provide sugarcane to the Sanjivani Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana. They have been alleging poor management at the unit, the sole such facility in the coastal state. The factory is located at Usgao village in North Goa. 

This decision was taken at the Cabinet meeting held Monday under Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. It was decided to transfer the reins of the factory from the Registrar of Cooperative Societies. 

According to Agriculture Minister Vijai Sardesai, the entire factory would be overhauled, as it has been operating on old and second-hand machinery. 

The minister further added, "The factory would be upgraded under the Centre's Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY) in which 60 percent of total funds will be provided by Union government and the state government will bear remaining cost."  

The agriculture department used to provide the Minimum Support Price (MSP) to cane-growers, until now. Sugarcane is produced in Sanguem and Dhar-Bandora in South Goa.