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Following the approval by the state legislature of certain amendments strengthening the Karnataka Sugarcane (Regulation of Purchase and Supply) Act, a committee will soon be constituted as per its provisions, Minister for Co-operation and Sugar H S Mahadeva Prasad said in Mysore today.
Addressing a press meet, he said, the amendments approved after the consolidated opinion of the House had plugged certain loopholes in the act, which would from now on benefit sugarcane growers in the state. They would now be able to get the fair and appropriate price fixed by the Centre for the sugarcane supplied to factories on time, now on.
The committee would comprise of representatives of sugarcane growers, sugar factories, sugarcane experts and government officials.
Sugar factories have to make payments on the guidelines of the fair and remunerative price fixed by the Centre. Payment should be made within a fortnight failing which they will have to pay interest at 15 per cent. At present, the guidelines of the Centre were not being followed by the sugar factories. The committee can look into these issues, he said.
The government had fixed July 1 to June 30 as the sugarcane season. Crushing of sugarcane begins in October. July 1 would be taken into consideration for the year of the sugar as inspection of accounts and supervision over payments shall commence on that day.
Around 60 sugar factories are there in the state, with 48 in North Karnataka and 12 in South Karnataka. Under the amended legislation, farmers can voluntarily supply sugarcane to sugar mils, or the mills themselves can harvest the crop. These issues can be locally-decided.
Prasad also stated that with amendments to the Co-operative Act 1959 its election commission would become an authority instead of a commission. Information should be given to a member who seeks membership of a society within three months. Otherwise, his application would be considered as approved. The number of associate members should not exceed 15 per cent of the ordinary members of any co-operative society. A primary co-operative society must have a minimum of 11 members of which five should be for reserved categories, two for women, two for SCs and STs.
Amendment had been also made to the restriction that any challenge to the elections should be made only in the High Court. Instead, it could be taken up at the registrar level of the Department of Co-operation. This would help dispose off cases without any delays, he added.
The amendment had also been made to the Male Mahadeswara Hills Authority of Chamarajanagar district. Under this, 80 per cent of the temple income would go to the authority.
While the remaining would go to the Department of Religious Endowment. The revenue earned by the temple could be utilised for infrastructure development and development of temples where Male Mahadeswara had stayed, the minister added.
