Expressing dissatisfaction over the non-payment of farmers’ arrears, the Bhagawanpura SDM Santosh Kumar issued orders to the Iqbalpur sugar mill to pay Rs 10 crore to the farmers within a week. He issued an order in the meeting convened at his office which was attended by the officers, sugarcane committee and mill officials.
Earlier District collector Deepak Rawat had appointed Santosh Kumar as receiver of the sugar mill, who used to monitor the farmers’ payment, production and sugar sale of the mill.
The mill officials stated that they need Rs 72 crore to pay farmers. They are expecting to get Rs 36 crore as soft loan and one bank has agreed to grant a loan of Rs 36 crore. Once the loan is sanctioned, the farmers’ dues will be paid immediately.
Santosh said, “According to the amount of sugar sold by a mill, it was supposed to pay Rs 83 crore as arrears, but it paid only Rs 53 crore, so it has been asked to release Rs 10 crore within a week.”
The mills in the state are under the pressure to clear the dues.
