Expansion plan on cards for Ajnala sugar mill, says minister

After paying a surprise visit to the state-run Ajnala Sugarcane Mill near here on Monday, Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal announced that the mill would be expanded in the near future.

The minister also inspected the sale of sugarcane at the mill and listened to problems of farmers, besides interacting with mill officials.

After holding a discussion with sugcane mill officials and farmers, Dhaliwal said the crushing capacity of the mill would be increased. He the machinery of the mill would upgraded so that farmers do not face any problems. He said it had been decided earlier to increase the crushing capacity of sugar mills in Batala and Gurdaspur. He said following discussions with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, the upgradation project would be undertaken soon.

About discussions with farmers today, he stated that he did not find any major problem as crushing of sugarcane was going on and payment was also being made. “The big thing is that the quality of our sugar is the best in Punjab,” said the minister who represents Ajnala in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha. He assured the farmers that they should continue to support the cooperative and the government would stand shoulder to shoulder with them by buying their crops and products.

Expressing sympathy with the farmers celebrating Lohri at the dharna site, he said due to the stubborn attitude of the Central government, the farmers were facing tough times. He also said that the demands of the farmers have not yet been accepted by the Centre.

Dhaliwal alleged that the largesse of the Centre was aimed at benefiting the industrialists of the country instead of the farmers due to which their condition was deteriorating. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take the initiative in fulfilling the demands of the farmers.