The state government, in an important decision, has shifted plant machinery worth Rs 20.27 crore of the closed sugar mill of Faridkot to Bhogpur sugar mill, which has enhanced its capacity from earlier 1016 TCD (tonne crushing per day) to 3000 TCD. (Representational) Punjab Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Monday inaugurated the renovated, modernised and expanded version of the oldest sugar mill of the state — the Bhogpur Sugar Mill. The mill now has an enhanced capacity of 3000 TCD from 1016 TCD besides a 15MW power generation plant in its premises. The crushing season was also kickstarted by Randhawa in the sugar mills Monday.
The new power generation plant will help in collecting additional revenue worth Rs 42.50 crore, which would ensure timely payment to farmers from their resources.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Randhawa said that to drive the farmer out of the traditional crop cycle of wheat and paddy, sugarcane farming holds a lot of potential, and can encourage crop diversification in the state.
He said that as of now, around one lakh hectares of agricultural land was under sugarcane farming, and this area would further increase in coming years, especially after the revival of sugar mills.
He said that to make sugarcane farming a profitable affair and encourage farmers, the strengthening of sugar mills was a crucial step.
Randhawa further mentioned that the state government, in an important decision, has shifted plant machinery worth Rs 20.27 crore of the closed sugar mill of Faridkot to Bhogpur sugar mill, which has enhanced its capacity from earlier 1016 TCD (tonne crushing per day) to 3000 TCD.
