Lok Sabha Question No. 4162 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-28
Subject: Sugar Development Fund
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: MEENAKASHI LEKHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4162

TO BE ANSWERED ON 28 th  MARCH, 2017

## SUGAR DEVELOPMENT FUND

## 4162.   SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC

DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a)
- the aims and objectives of the Sugar Development Fund (SDF);
- (b) whether it is being implemented in coordination with the Agriculture Ministry and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether mechanisation of sugar extraction is funded under the SDF, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE FOR  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

- (a): Sugar Development Fund (SDF) can be utilised by the Government of India, presently, for the following purposes:
1. for  making  loans  for  facilitating  the  rehabilitation  and  modernisation  of  any sugar factory or any unit thereof;
2. for  making  loans  to  any  sugar  factory  for  undertaking  any  scheme  for development of sugarcane in the area in which any sugar factory is situated;
3. for making loans to any sugar factory or any unit thereof for bagasse based cogeneration power projects with a view to improving their viability;
4. for  making  loans  to  any  sugar  factory  or  any  unit  thereof  for  production  of anhydrous  alcohol  or  ethanol  from  alcohol  with  a  view  to  improving  their viability;
5. for making loans to Sugar Factory for conversion of existing ethanol plant into Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) plant;
6. for  making  grants  for  the  purpose  of  any  research  project  aimed  at  the development of sugar industry;
7. for  defraying  expenditure  for  the  purpose  of  building  up  and  maintenance  of buffer stock of sugar with a view to stabilising the price of sugar;
8. for defraying expenditure on internal transport and freight charges to the sugar factories on export shipments of sugar with a view to promoting its export;

9. for  defraying  expenditure  for  the  purpose  of  financial  assistance  to  sugar factories towards interest on loans given in terms of any scheme approved by the Central Government from time to time;
10. Defraying  expenditure  on  marketing  and  promotion  service  for  raw  sugar production;
11. Defraying expenditure on Interest subvention on scheme for extending soft loan to sugar mills;
12. Defraying expenditure on Production Subsidy to Sugar Mills to offset cost of cane and facilitate timely payment of cane price dues to farmers;
13. for defraying any other expenditure for the purpose of this Act.

(b): The Secretary, Department of Agriculture Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, is  a  member  of  the  Standing  Committee  constituted  under  the  SDF  Rules  for consideration of SDF loan applications.

(c): Financial  assistance  from  SDF  is  provided  for  improving  juice  extraction and  technical  efficiency  under  the  scheme  'Modernization  and  Expansion'  of sugar units.

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