Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar has directed officials to immediately place a proposal before the state Cabinet to introduce a soft loan scheme for cooperative sugar mills in Maharashtra. The scheme, on the lines of the Centre’s initiative, aims to help sugar mills prepare for the upcoming crushing season and ensure timely payment of Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) dues to farmers.
At a meeting in Mumbai today, the deputy CM also called for a comprehensive policy to promote by-products produced by cooperative sugar mills. She said that greater focus should be placed on solar power, cogeneration, 1G and 2G ethanol, CBG, green hydrogen, bio-bitumen, biochemicals and SAF to strengthen the financial position of sugar mills. She also said that the proposed soft loan scheme would help address financial difficulties faced by mills and enable them to pay farmers’ FRP dues on time.
