Lok Sabha Question No. 4260 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-26
Subject: Modernization and Expansion of Sugar  Factories
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Maddila Gurumoorthy

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.4260

TO BE ANSWERED ON 26TH MARCH, 2025

## MODERNIZATION  AND EXPANSION OF SUGAR FACTORIES

## 4260. SHRI MADDILA  GURUMOORTHY:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of  policies or  schemes formulated by  the  Government to  support the modernization  and expansion of  sugar factories and the development of  sugarcane farming particularly  in regions such as the Tirupati  Parliamentary Constituency segment;
- (b) whether the Government has any plans to  establish a dedicated research institute in Andhra  Pradesh,  similar to  the  National Sugar  Institute, to  facilitate research  on  sugarcane improvement, production  and management; and
- (c) if  so, the details and the location thereof along with  the scope of research activities  for the benefit of  sugarcane farmers and sugar industries in  Tirupati  and other regions of Andhra Pradesh?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMBHANIYA)

- (a): The policies are framed for  country as a whole  for  welfare of  sugarcane farmers and sugar industry. Under Sugar Development Fund Act,  1982, financial assistance in the form of SDF loans were given to sugar mills,  inter-alia, for Modernisation Cum Expansion of  sugar mill,  Cane Development, Bagasse-Based Cogeneration power projects, production of Anhydrous Alcohol  or Ethanol/Zero Liquid  Discharge (ZLD)  plant. However, the SDF loan schemes have been closed by this  Department vide letter dated 21.09.2021.

.....2/-

In order to enhance the ethanol production capacity in the country, Central Government has also notified various ethanol interest subvention schemes from 2018 to 2022 inter-alia, for sugar mills  for  setting up  of  new distilleries, expansion of  existing distilleries and for conversion of  existing molasses based distilleries to  dual  feed distilleries throughout the country

A  new scheme for Cooperative Sugar Mills  has also been notified on 06.03.2025 for conversion of  their  existing  sugarcane based ethanol plants  into  multi-feed  based ethanol plants.

(b) &  (c): The Government of Andhra Pradesh has informed that there are three Sugarcane Research Stations working  in the State namely:

- (1) Regional Agricultural  Research Station (RARS),  Anakapalli, Anakapalli  District.
2. (ii) Sugarcane Research Station, Vuyyuru,  Krishna  District
- (111) Agricultural Research Station, Perumallapalli, Tirupati District.

These Research Stations are working  to develop and release of area specific seed cane varieties to  sustain local  climatic  conditions  for the benefit  of  sugarcane farmers and industry. The prominent  seed cane varieties released so far are 2003V46,  93V97,  COT8201 , CDA 14321 an-d 2006A223 .

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