Sugar factories too have grievances: Karnataka Minister

It is not just farmers, but sugar factories too, who have some grievances. The Union and State governments need to resolve them, Karnataka’s PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who owns a sugar factory, said in Belagavi on October 26.

“Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar will hold meetings with factory representatives and farmers in Suvarna Vidhana Soudha in Belagavi today. Farmers will present their issues before him, and we will present our issues. Let us see what happens,” he told reporters.

“None of the demands raised by the sugar factory owners have been met by the Union and State governments. We have been seeking revision of Minimum Selling Price for over seven years now. That has not happened. This will infuse liquidity into the factories, who will be able to pay more to farmers.

“Sugar factories have not yet receive payment from State power companies for the electricity they supplied to the grid by co-generation. We have been demanding that the government of Karnataka draw up a power purchase agreement for a duration of 20 years. Factories have requested that the rates for water supplied to them be reduced. We have presented such demands to the Chief Minister, but they remain unfulfilled. Let the Chief Minister hold the meeting today. We shall see what decisions are announced later in the day,” he said.

“The CM had promised to resolve the issues of factories and farmers for which he has called these meetings today. I appreciate his gesture and thank him. The CM has to take an overall view of things, and take steps so that issues of both stakeholders are resolved. I am sure the government will try to find a solution that is suitable to all,” he said.