In a bid to give a boost to the production of sugar and allied products in Bihar, the Nitish government has cleared proposals for the setting up of 14 new multi-purpose sugar mill complexes involving an estimated investment of Rs 3,624 crore.
Proposals worth Rs 762 crore for the expansion of eight existing sugar units have also been approved by the government in the past 10 months.
Talking to The Tribune, Sugarcane Development Minister Nitish Mishra said the sugar complexes would be set up in Madhubani, East Champaran, West Champaran Saran, Muzaffarpur, Madhepura, Begusarai, Siwan and Nalanda, among other districts.
All 14 units together would have the capacity of crushing 65,000 tonne of sugarcane per day, besides generating 500 to 600 direct employment opportunities per unit and 5,000 indirect employments. The foundation stone of the first sugar complex would be laid in Madhepura in November.
Mr Mishra said the other major focus would be power generation. The units together would generate 372 MW. The complexes would also consist of distillery plants.
The state government has constituted a five-member committee led by the state Sugar Commissioner.
He stated that while investors had been given the opportunity to choose their own locations for setting up the complexes, the incentive package comprised reimbursement of Central excise duty for five commercial years and exemption from purchase tax and registration fees.
The government would grant 10 per cent subsidy on capital investment or a maximum of Rs 10 crore, whichever was less, after the completion of the first year of commercial production.
Source- TRIBUNE, Dated, October-09-06
