Despite govt loan, pvt sugar mill owes ₹5 cr to farmers

CHANDIGARH : The Naraingarh Sugar Mill still owes Rs 5.49 crore to cane growers of the state despite having issued postdated cheques of about Rs 35.31 crore to farmers for 2018-19 crushing season.

This was stated by Haryana agriculture minister JP Dalal during the question hour on the third day of the assembly session on Tuesday.

Dalal, who was responding to a query by Congress MLA from

Naraingarh Shalley Choudhary, said the private sugar mill has made a payment of about Rs 29.82 crore to the cane farmers for the 2018-19 crushing season.

The state council of ministers had in August 2019 approved Rs 60-crore loan to Naraingarh Sugar Mill to enable it to pay the outstanding dues of cane farmers. The Congress MLA, however, said she was not satisfied with the reply of the agriculture minister.

“Sugarcane farmers sat on a protest dharna seeking payment of cane arrears by the private sugar mill. I suggest that the state government should take over this sugar mill,’’ Choudhary said.

The minister, however, assured that the pending payment of Rs 5.49 crore is expected to be paid by March 17.

DEATH OF COWS IN HISAR

In a reply to another question by Congress MLA from Kalanwali, Shishpal Singh Keharwala, Dalal, who also holds the charge of animal husbandry portfolio, said that 4,368 cows died in Sirsa district in 2019-20 due to age-related issues and consuming synthetic garbage.

He said the state government is planning to launch a new scheme under which a special grant will be given to gaushalas who rehabilitate stray cattle.

RECRUITMENT OF MEDICAL OFFICERS

Health minister Anil Vij said that to ensure availability of doctors in government hospitals, the health department has initiated the process of regular recruitment of 447 medical officers through Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) and the written examination will be held on March 1.

Apart from this, it has also been decided to appoint 342 doctors on ad hoc basis, he told the assembly during the question hour.

Vij said that the state government has decided to take an initiative of making MBBS students sign an affidavit at the time of admission and commit two years of practice in government hospitals after completing their studies.

He said that MBBS doctors appointed on ad hoc basis will get a package of Rs 85,000 per month, while specialist doctors will get a package of Rs 1.5 lakh.

NARAINGARH SUGAR MILL WAS GRANTED ₹60-CRORE LOAN BY THE STATE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS IN AUGUST 2019