(a) Whether the Government have set up a Sugar Technology Mission for the upgradation of technology in sugar industry ;
(b) if so, the details thereof ;
(c) the estimated cost involved in the upgradation of technology; and
(d) the estimated increase in the recovery rates as a result thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (SHRI BACHI SINGH RAWAT)
(a) Yes Sir.
(b) & (c) The Mission Mode Project on Sugar Production Technologies was set up in August, 1993 at an estimated cost of Rs.15 crores (this does not include contribution by the industry) as a collaborative project between the Deptt. of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Food, Deptt. of Sugar & Edible Oils. The main objective of the project is to achieve a sharp and focussed technological upgradation of selected sugar mills to accomplish interalia, cost effectiveness of sugar production and bring about energy savings. The project is being implemented by the Technology Information, Forecasting & Assessment Council (TIFAC), an autonomous society under the Deptt. of Science & Technology.
The Mission has so far prepared modernisation schemes for 25 sugar factories in the country, focussing on energy conservation, higher plant efficiencies and capacity optimisation.
Further, evaluation of 19 new technologies have been undertaken, out of which 6 have been successfully completed and others are at different stages of implementation.
(d) The application of technology upgradation schemes in the selected sugar factories is aimed at brining about an increase of 0.2. to 0.3% recovery on cane.