Summary:
CLEARED SKHER (seen/ak)Kolhapur: Factories in western Maharashtra have offered to give sugar to cane-growing farmers to clear their dues based on fair and remunerative price (FRP).The sugar commissioner and Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) have accepted the proposal. The farmers will now have to submit applications.Private and cooperative sugar mills in Kolhapur and Sangli districts have approached sugar cane farmers asking them to communicate their consent to the proposal.The farmer will have to fill up an application and will be given sugar to compensate average 20% of the payable amount. Most mills have already cleared 80% of the bills.The SSS has accepted the move with the condition that farmers would not pay any tax, including goods and services tax, or any liability on the sugar they will get.Sanghatana leader Sawkar Madnaik said that farmers must be given good quality and not substandard sugar. They would the recover the interest, which is payable on delayed and part payment, under any circumstances, he added.Sugar commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad told TOI that the offer from the factories would not face any legal hurdle as they are primarily responsible to fulfil their commitment to making the payment.“Factories cannot pressurize farmers to accept sugar instead of cash. Western Maharashtra witnessed a few violent incidents after factories deposited part payment in the accounts of farmers in the first week of January.The state government then issued notices to more than 160 factories under the Sugarcane Control Act and Revenue Recovery Act.The notices stated that government would confiscate sugar and other movable and immovable properties if the FRP-based payment with 15% interest was not made by the factories..