Date:04/10/2007 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/10/04/stories/2007100450802300.htm

Back TN demands Central aid for coop sugar mills

Our Bureau

Chennai, Oct. 3 The Tamil Nadu Government has asked the Centre for Rs 1,000 crore assistance under the Sugar Development Fund for expanding and modernising the cooperative and public sector sugar mills.

According to a copy of the address by the Minister for Higher Education, Mr K. Ponmudi, who participated in the meeting on ethanol and rationalisation of sugarcane prices called by the Centre, Mr Ponmudi said that the assistance would be needed to set up cogeneration and ethanol facilities at the 15 cooperative and public sector mills in Tamil Nadu.

He said that the Centre should take into account the revenue earned by the sugar mills from cogeneration and distilleries when fixing the statutory minimum price for sugarcane; hike the percentage of ethanol blending in petrol to 10 per cent from the prevailing five per cent; and allow sugar mills to divert the cane juice for the ethanol and spirit production.