Will sugar policy be ever implemented?

SUGARCANE SECTOR VICTIM OF NEGLECT

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: Assam has no sugar mill, nor any functional sugar policy. And this situation leads the sugarcane farmers of the State to convert their around 10 lakh tonne annual produces into jaggery and molasses. What a plight!

The tale of sugar mills in Assam can be traced to 1958 when the first sugar mill of the State was set up at Baruah Bamun Gaon in Dergaon. It was followed by the 'Cachar Sugar Mill' at Chargola in Ratabari in the present Karimganj district and then by the 'Kampur Sugar Mill' in Nagaon district. However, all of them are now closed.

Why is the situation so dismal even after the declaration of the Sugar Policy, Assam in 2017 to boost sugarcane cultivation? The reason is not far to seek. The entire sugar policy in the State is a pipedream even after three years – thanks to the departments of Industries and Commerce and Agriculture with which the policy is associated.

The policy was to be effective from January 1, 2018 for a validity period of 15 years. The policy has provisions for MSP (Minimum Support Price) for sugarcane farmers, various incentives, setting up of new sugar mills in the State, among others. However, nobody knows about the present status of the implementation of this policy.

The policy also has a proposal for the Agriculture department to create a 'Sugar Development Agency' to conduct surveys of the prospective sugarcane-growing areas in the State, besides putting in place a technical and commercial linkage between the farmers and the market. The policy even has a proposal to set up an apex committee with the Chief Minister on the chair to monitor its implementation. The policy also has provisions for another committee to be headed by the Chief Secretary for approving various incentives to the sugarcane farmers and investors. A corpus fund of Rs 50 crore is also envisaged in the policy for the development of sugarcane cultivation in the State. Sadly enough, none of them has seen the light of the day.

Assam has around 28,000 hectares of land suitable for sugarcane cultivation with bright prospects for economic growth and job generation. The domestic sugar market in the State is quite huge. However, this sector continues to be on the flip side of importance for the two associated departments. Can the departments of Industries & Commerce and Agriculture say for sure as to when the policy will be implemented? Or, whether will it be ever implemented at all?

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