Commissioner, Cane and Sugar and Registrar, Co-operative Cane and Sugar Mill Societies, Uttar Pradesh, Shri Sanjay R. Bhoosreddy informed that a historic decision has been taken to provide membership of cooperative cane or sugar mill society to minor heir of cane farmers or new minor cane farmers to protect their interests.
Giving detailed information regarding the instructions issued, he emphasized that every year due to accident, death and dissolution of marriage of the registered cane farmers of cooperative cane and sugar mill societies, children are left without their parents. In such a situation, in spite of the cane cultivation land being in the name of minor children, they are still not able to get the membership of the society because of their age being less than 18 years, due to which the problem of maintenance for such children arises in the families who earn their livelihood from the agricultural income from cane. In such cases, after the death of the parents, the cultivable land is transferred in the name of the children who are their heirs, but due to age not being able to get the membership of the cane Society or sugar mill society, such minor heirs are not able to suply their Cane to the sugar mills, thus they are exploited by cane mafia who take advantage of their helplessness and they have to face social difficulties along with family calamity.
After this social problem related to minor cane farmers came to light Cane Commissioner gave instructions to provide membership of the Cooperative cane or Sugar Mill Society as an affiliated member as per the provisions mentioned in the UP Co-operative Societies Act, 1965, to such minor heirs cane farmers or new minor cane farmers those guardians are
paternal and maternal grandparents, aunt-uncle, maternal uncle and other blood relatives and sugarcane is also being cultivated on the their land as per revenue records.
Shri Bhoosreddy said that under the above arrangement, some restrictions have also been implemented for minors and their guardians, in which minors will be banned from participating in the elections and for share in the profits of the society, while for their guardians restrictions have been imposed on withdrawal of funds from due cane price up to a prescribed limit from the bank as well as the responsibility of fulfilling all the obligations of the concerned member has been entrusted to the guardian till he attains adulthood.
As a result of the implementation of the above arrangement, not only the interests of minor cane farmers will be protected, but by getting the membership of the society, they will also get relief from the cane mafia.
Along with this, regular supply of sugarcane will ensure the availability of funds for upbringing and education of minors and there will also be an option of employment at the local level till they reach adulthood in the form of cane cultivation. In addition to the above, as a result of the restrictions imposed, their guardians will also be bound to discharge their
duties faithfully.
