The Indian sugar industry has appealed to the finance ministry to include cheap sale of sugar through the public distribution system (PDS) as part of the government’s plan to directly transfer subsidies in cash to beneficiaries. The government is planning to directly transfer 29 services in cash in 51 districts across the country from January1, 2013.
In a letter to Finance Minister P Chidambaram, the Indian Sugar Mills Association said the Centre should abolish the levy sugar mechanism. Under the mechanism, sugar mills across the country are mandated to sell 10 per cent of annual production at a significantly discounted rate.
