Exercise under way to explore possibility of setting up sugar mill in Indora
Following the directions of the Chief Minister, the Kangra district administration has started an exercise to explore the possibility of setting up a sugar mill in the neighboring Indora subdivision in the lower region of Kangra district. The Deputy Commissioner, Kangra, recently conducted a virtual meeting with sugar mill experts for this purpose. After the meeting, the DC instructed officials of the Agriculture Department and the Indora SDM to study the technicalities, including financial provisions and availability of land, for sugarcane production. He has also directed them to prepare and submit a detailed report so that a government strategy could be chalked out.
Talking to "The Tribune", DC Hem Raj Baira said sugarcane cultivation could boost the rural economy in the interstate border area in Indora Assembly constituency in Kangra district and the state government had launched a special drive to strengthen rural economy. He said exploring the possibility of setting up a sugar mill in this region was also a part of this
government drive. “The climate and temperature conducive in Indora are conducive for cultivation of sugarcane and barren land is also available at many places in this region. Farmers can opt for growing sugarcane and they will have ready market at their doorsteps for their produce if a sugar mill is established in this region,” he said.
He said preliminary information revealed that the state Agriculture Department also had its land in the Indora area that could be utilised for setting up a sugar mill and the department had been asked to study the advanced varieties of sugarcane that could be cultivated in the Indora region. He said at present, local farmers were cultivating sugarcane on around 720 hectares in the Indora region but they were selling their produce to sugar mills at Mukerian, Hoshiarpur, in neighboring Punjab or Jammu. “In a bid to provide marketing facilities at the doorstep and to ameliorate the profits of the farming community, the state government has started exploring the possibilities of setting up a sugar mill in Indora,” he said.
