Sugarcane farmers wait at Azad Maidan before the protest was called off on Tuesday morning after a delegation met Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at Altinho. Captured by : Narayan Pissurlenkar
PANAJI
Rattled by sugarcane farmers’ protest, the State government on Tuesday invited bids for redevelopment of Sanjivani Sugar factory, along with setting up of an Ethanol production plant on public private partnership (PPP). The government intends to recommence the factory, shut since 2019-20, on Design-Build- Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) basis.
With the government inviting Request for Qualification for the redevelopment of the factory and following assurance from the Chief Minister that a contractor will be taken onboard within three months, the agitating farmers on Tuesday morning withdrew their strike. The farmers have been protesting since last one week over the government failure to restart the factory.
The farmers held a meeting with the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant at his official residence this morning, during which they were assured that the factory redevelopment project will be completed within a year’s time.
Speaking to media persons post meeting, Sawant said that the agriculture department has invited RFQ from the eligible bidder and that the contractor will be taken on board by March. “Farmers want the factory to be started, we will start it. The process has already started. I don’t know who instigated them for this protest and why,” he said.
Sawant said that since the factory has closed down, as per the five-year commitment made by the government, a total amount of Rs 30 crore is paid to the farmers, irrespective of whether they have grown the sugarcane or not.
“The payment commitment was for five years, by then the factory was expected to restart,” he said.
After the meeting, the farmers informed them that they have decided to withdraw the ongoing strike. They said that the Chief Minister has asked them to go ahead with the sugarcane farming for this season as the factory will be ready within a years’ time. Farmers also said that CM assured them that he will give directions to the Sanjivani administrator to issue area certificates to the farmers. Area certificate is required by farmers who seek to take agriculture loan.
The RFQ will be available for download on the eprocure site from Wednesday, while the last date for submission of online applications is March 1.
