Mysuru: Sugarcane growers would receive pending dues of Rs 100 per tonne within the next 15 days, said Mysuru Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy on Tuesday, reported The Times of India. He assured farmers that the payments would be credited directly to their bank accounts. The amount is to be shared equally by the state government and the sugar factories.
Addressing a meeting of farmers and representatives of the Bannari Amman Sugar Factory, Reddy said the state government would release Rs 50 per tonne, while the factory concerned would pay the remaining Rs 50 in the same period. He added that funds had already been sent to Mysuru district on a priority basis and that the remaining local procedures would take around two weeks.
The deputy commissioner also responded to farmers’ complaints over irregularities in the recovery (yield) assessment. He said surprise checks would be carried out during the crushing season and tests would be conducted on the spot in the presence of farmers’ representatives to ensure fairness.
To improve the harvesting process, Reddy said harvesting dates would be fixed for each farmer by the tahsildar’s office. The schedule would be displayed at farmer contact centres and Nada Kacheri notice boards, and shared with farmer groups. He added that early harvesting would be allowed in cases such as pest attacks or crop disease, subject to inspection by the joint director of agriculture.
On concerns related to delays in weighing and the placement of weighbridges, the deputy commissioner asked the sugar factory management to consider moving the weighing machine closer to the factory entrance. He also directed that entry slips be issued as soon as vehicles arrive, followed by weighing slips.
Karnataka State Sugarcane Growers’ Association president Kuraburu Shanthakumar and Zilla Panchayat chief executive officer Ukesh Kumar were present at the meeting.
