India's cooperative sector is set for massive expansion as the Union government announces an ambitious plan to establish 150 new sugar mills nationwide. This initiative forms a crucial part of the 'Developed India by 2047' vision championed by Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.
Haryana's Progressive Steps in Sugar Cooperation
Responding to this national call, Haryana is actively working to establish a new cooperative sugar mill in Naraingarh. The announcement came from Haryana's Cooperation Minister Arvind Sharma during his virtual address at the inaugural ceremonies of the 50th crushing season of Karnal cooperative sugar mill and the 42nd season of Shahabad cooperative sugar mill.
Minister Sharma highlighted the state government's comprehensive efforts to support sugarcane cultivators, emphasizing that Haryana has set the country's highest procurement price for sugarcane. Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini confirmed that farmers will receive Rs 415 for each quintal of early varieties and Rs 408 for each quintal of late varieties.
Digital Reforms and Farmer Welfare Initiatives
The Haryana government has implemented significant improvements to ensure timely payments and enhanced logistics for agricultural producers. A key innovation includes the introduction of an online token system, which has remarkably helped farmers save 10 to 12 hours in transportation time when delivering cane to processing facilities.
Thanks to concerted efforts last year to reconnect former cane growers with milling operations, both Karnal and Shahabad facilities anticipate substantial increases in processing volumes this season. Karnal mill expects to crush an additional 3.9 lakh quintals of cane, while Shahabad mill projects receiving an extra 2 lakh quintals.
Future Directions and National Significance
Minister Sharma emphasized that the cooperative sector remains fundamental to achieving national development objectives. He directed mill managements to prioritize agricultural producers' welfare, ensuring they "face no difficulties" and to "win their hearts" through exceptional service.
The minister also committed to approaching the Chief Minister with proposals for special incentive schemes supporting Haryana's sugarcane farmers. These include providing subsidized harvesting machinery to reduce labor burdens and launching new encouragement programs to promote continuous cane cultivation.
This comprehensive approach demonstrates Haryana's commitment to strengthening the agricultural backbone while contributing to India's broader economic transformation goals through cooperative sector expansion.
