(a) Whether he had attended the 40th Annual General meeting of National Confederation of
Co-operative Sugar Mills held in December, 1999;
(
(b) if so, the details of discussions and memorandum received by him from the sugar mills authorities and the assurances given by him in the meeting;
(c) whether assurances have since been implemented; and
(d) if not, the reasons therefor?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI V. SREENIVASA PRASAD)
(a) Yes, Sir.
(b),(c) & (d) : In his Presidential Address at the 40th Annual Meeting of General
Body of the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories on 25.12.99, Shri Shivajirao
G. Patil requested, inter-alia, to increase the import duty on imports of sugar, impose levy
obligation on importers of sugar, not to remove the present distance criterion for setting up
of new sugar units, make freesale releases on pro-rata to stock basis, and acceptance of the
major recommendations of the Mahajan Committee etc. The Minister assured that their demands
of increasing import duty on imports of sugar and imposing levy obligation on importers of
sugar is receiving the attention of the Government. He also assured that the Government would
take decision on the recommendations of the Mahajan Committee in a time bound manner etc.
As regards fulfilling the above assurances, the Government has since increased the
import duty to 60% with effect from 9.2.2000 and has issued orders dated 17.02.2000 enabling
the Government to impose 30% levy obligation on importers of sugar. At present, there is no
proposal to remove the present distance criterion of 15 Kms for setting up of new sugar units.
So far as the Mahajan Committee`s recommendations are concerned, the Government has taken
decision on many recommendations while others are under active consideration of the Government.