Bagalkot, Karnataka: Deputy Commissioner KM Janaki has given sugar mills in the district Friday as deadline to clear all pending payments owed to sugarcane farmers who supplied their produce for the 2024–25 season.
While chairing a meeting with sugar mill owners and managing directors, she pointed out that the factory managers were failing to inform the district administration and the sugar commissioner about the outstanding bills and the payments already made for sugarcane purchases. She expressed concern that even the farmers were not being adequately updated on the payment status, reported The Times of India.
When factory representatives asked for more time to pay the dues, the deputy commissioner refused the request and insisted that all payments must be completed by Friday evening. She also instructed local revenue officials (tahsildars) to regularly update the district office on the payment progress.
As per the news report, DC Janaki was informed that 12 sugar mills in the district had kept the farmers’ bills pending. Of these five have approached the high court seeking time to clear the arrears. DC Janaki told the mills that farmers were in distress and their problems were more serious than those of the sugar factories and refused to give any extension to clear the bills.
