The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : `10 cooperative sugar mills to be revived'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 09, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

`10 cooperative sugar mills to be revived'

By Ramesh Susarla

GUNTUR, AUG. 8. The State Government will infuse Rs. 250 crores to revive 10 sugar mills in the cooperative sector to thwart cartelisation by private sugar mill owners in pricing, the Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has said.

The money will be brought from the Central Government.

VRS for excess staff

Criticising the Telugu Desam Party for selling away 12 cooperative sugar mills out of the 22, Dr. Reddy told reporters at a press conference during the `Rajiv palle bata' programme today at Mutyalapalem in Guntur district that seven sick mills and three mills being run inefficiently would be run on commercial lines by pruning the staff size first. A voluntary retirement scheme would be introduced for the excess staff.

Asked about the fate of the Jampani Cooperative Sugar Factory near Tenali, he said as it had been sold and handed over to a private party it was not being included in the revival package.

When reminded that the High Court had scrapped the sale process and that the purchaser had approached the Supreme Court, Dr. Reddy refused to give an answer on the plea he did not have information.

"We will look into the matter and do the needful," he added.

Land issue

Distribution of land to the poor and regularisation of pattas given to them was another major problem on which the State Government was concentrating, he said. "Many people have pattas but are not occupying lands, while some others have land under their occupation, but do not have pattas," he pointed out.

Listing the electoral promises being fulfilled by the Congress, he read out a list of decisions taken during the past one week. Unemployment was being tackled by filling all vacancies in the Government, he said.

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