Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, today inaugurated the country’s first cooperative multi-feed Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant in Kopargaon, Ahilyanagar district, Maharashtra. On this occasion, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, Union Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol, and several other distinguished personalities were present, according to the press release.
Addressing the event, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah said that for the first time in the history of India’s cooperative sugar mills, a Compressed Biogas (CBG) plant and a potash granule production unit are being established at the Maharshi Shankarrao Kolhe Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana. He mentioned that under a new initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government will provide full support to 15 selected sugar mills in the coming days to set up both these plants with the assistance of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC). He added that this new beginning will pave the way for a new path for sugar mills across the country in the coming days.
Union Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah said that the Modi government is dedicated to the welfare of the country’s farmers. He mentioned that on October 1, during a Union Cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses’, under which Rs. 11,340 crore will be utilized over the next six years to make India self-reliant in the pulses sector. Shah said that if farmers producing arhar, urad, and masoor pulses register with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation of India Limited (NCCF), the Government of India will procure their entire pulse crop at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). This will also benefit farmers in Maharashtra. He added that pulses will be procured at 100% MSP from 20 million farmers across the country. Furthermore, 1,000 processing units will be established, and 38 lakh high-quality seed kits will be distributed.
Union Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah said that the Maharshi Shankarrao Kolhe Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana has become an ideal example of a circular economy. He emphasized the need to make ethanol plants multidimensional. Shah mentioned that cooperative sugar factories originated in Maharashtra, and the initiative to implement a 100 percent circular economy for sugar factories is starting from here. He urged the Maharashtra government to cooperate in this effort, assuring that the Government of India will also provide support. He stated that the example set by the Maharshi Shankarrao Kolhe Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana should serve as a model for all sugar mills in Maharashtra, so that it can be implemented there, leading to significant benefits in operating sugar mills in the future. Shah further mentioned that India’s first sugarcane-based ethanol plant was established here. He added that every profit-making sugar factory should also undertake fruit processing, which will promote fruit cultivation and increase the profitability of sugar factories.
(With inputs from ANI)
