Karnataka Minister Says Sugar Factories Have Grievances Ahead Of CM Meetings

Sugar factories too have grievances, says Karnataka PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi

Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar will hold meetings with factory representatives and farmers at Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi, Karnataka PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi said on October 26.

Jarkiholi said farmers would present their issues at the meetings, while sugar factories would put forward their own demands.

“Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar will hold meetings with factory representatives and farmers in Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi today. Farmers will present their issues before him, and we will present our issues. Let us see what happens,” he told reporters.

Jarkiholi, who owns a sugar factory, said the concerns of sugar factories also needed to be addressed by the Union and State governments.

Factories seek revision of Minimum Selling Price

The minister said none of the demands raised by sugar factory owners had been met by the Union and State governments.

He said factories had been seeking a revision of the Minimum Selling Price for over seven years, but that revision had not taken place.

According to Jarkiholi, the revision would infuse liquidity into sugar factories and enable them to pay more to farmers.

He also said sugar factories had not yet received payment from State power companies for the electricity supplied to the grid through co-generation.

The payment issue is among the concerns that factory representatives are expected to present during the meetings called by the Chief Minister.

Demand for 20-year power purchase agreement

Jarkiholi said the factories had been demanding that the Karnataka government draw up a power purchase agreement for a duration of 20 years.

Sugar factories had also requested a reduction in the rates for water supplied to them, he said.

He said these demands had been presented to the Chief Minister, but remained unfulfilled.

“Let the Chief Minister hold the meeting today. We shall see what decisions are announced later in the day,” Jarkiholi said.

Jarkiholi said the Chief Minister had promised to resolve the issues of factories and farmers and had called the meetings for that purpose.

He appreciated the Chief Minister’s gesture and thanked him, while saying that Shivakumar needed to take an overall view of the concerns of both stakeholders.

“I am sure the government will try to find a solution that is suitable to all,” he said.

Source: The Hindu