Question : NEW SUGAR MILLS

(a) the number of functional, sick and closed sugar mills in the country, sector and State-wise;

(b) whether the Government proposes to facilitate entrepreneurs to set up new sugar mills in the interest of sugarcane farmers;

(c) if so, the details thereof indicating locations identified and the time by which they are likely to be set up Statewise;

(d) whether the Government has received any proposals seeking assistance for revival/ upgradation of mills; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto indicating the number of proposals received and assistance provided during each of the last three years and the current year, State-wise?

MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI RAMVILAS PASWAN)

(a) to (e): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (e) OF THE STARRED QUESTION NO. 118 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 03.03.2015 IN THE LOK SABHA

(a): A statement showing State-wise, sector-wise functional, sick and closed sugar mills in the country during the sugar season 2013-14 (October-September) is at Annexure-I .

(b) & (c): No Madam. There is no proposal to facilitate entrepreneurs to set up new sugar mills. After de-licensing, the entrepreneurs are free to set up new mills subject to the minimum inter mill distance criteria imposed by the States.

(d) & (e): The Sugar Development Fund (SDF) Rule, 1983 provides for modernization and rehabilitation of potentially viable sick undertakings (Rule 21). It also provides for restructuring of loans previously availed by the potentially viable sick units under the SDF (Rule 26).

During the last 3 years and the current year (upto 25.02.2015), 9 proposals seeking restructuring of SDF loan have been received from co-operative sugar undertakings. As per Guidelines, every proposal for restructuring of SDF loans pertaining to the cooperative sector sugar mills should be routed through the State Governments concerned along with their recommendations. The Cane Commissioner of the respective State Governments have been requested to examine the proposals of the co-operative sector sugar mills and furnish their recommendations to the Department. Details of these proposals are placed at Annexure II (Table 1). Further, one proposal relating to a sugar undertaking in the private sector has been recommended by the BIFR. The details are at Annexure II (Table 2).

No proposal seeking loan assistance for rehabilitation of sugar undertakings have been received during the last 3 years and the current year (upto 25.02.2015).

The details of applications received for modernization and the assistance provided in the last three years and current year (25.02.2015) is provided in Annexure-III.