Agriculture minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Monday directed the owners of Sandhar Sugar mill, Phagwara, to pay the pending dues of ₹22 crore to sugarcane growers.
He issued the direction after meeting the office-bearers of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Doaba) and the management of the sugar mill.
Taking a tough stand on the management of the mill, the minister directed the agriculture department to ensure that out of the ₹72 crore payment due (since the last three years) towards the farmers, ₹22 crore must be realised soon and credited to the accounts of farmers by selling the mill property at Bhuna, Haryana.
Reportedly, the mill has sold off molasses and the sugar stocks of the outgoing crushing season.
He ordered an audit of the mill accounts. “Corruption would not be tolerated at any cost,” said the minister, who also directed the officers of the department to issue a notice to the mill management to pay the remaining amount of ₹50 crore, otherwise the mill would have to close operations by November this year.
Coop mills owe ₹300 crore to cane growers
{{/usCountry}}Coop mills owe ₹300 crore to cane growers
{{/usCountry}}At least ₹300 crore is pending to be paid to the sugarcane growers who have given their produce to private mills in the cooperative sector. Reportedly, the cooperative department has made a payment plan and sent it for final approval to the finance department. The mills in the private sector owe cane growers ₹162 crore out of which Phagwara alone owes ₹72 crore.