Bihar has formulated a new policy to promote jaggery industries in the state and to incentivise sugarcane farmers, encourage small and micro industries and create job opportunities, sugarcane industries department minister Alok Kumar Mehta said in the state Legislative Council on Tuesday.
The detailed project report (DPR) of the “Bihar state jaggery industries promotion programme” has been included in the fourth agricultural road map, he said while responding to a short-notice question of BJP member Sarvesh Kumar, who alleged that the state had to import jaggery from other states for want of local production units.
Mehta said the programme would be implemented from the next crushing season to ensure sugarcane cultivated by farmers is consumed by local small and micro jaggery industries.
Investors’ meet to set up sugar mills
Mehta said his department was also considering holding an investors’ meet to woo private players in sugar industries.
Replying to a starred question from Congress member Sameer Kumar Singh, Mehta said though the state government offered subsidy to the farmers for growing recommended sugarcane varieties at the rate of ₹210/quintal and ₹240/quintal to the farmers of general class and scheduled caste/scheduled tribes, it has no plans to set up any sugar factory in the state. “However, any private investor, willing to set up the industry, will be given all support as envisaged under 2014 incentive package,” said the minister, adding that the department might hold an investors’ meet later this year to draw private investment.
‘Delay in grant causing drop-out in higher education’
BJP member Dilip Kumar Jaiswal brought in an adjournment motion to draw the government’s attention towards the “inordinate delay” in payment of grants to unaided inter and degree colleges in the state. Though his motion was rejected, Jaiswal stated in the House that the grants to around 225 degree colleges and 599 inter colleges under unaided education policy were held up since 2014-17 session. Citing a survey, the BJP member later claimed the drop-out was more pronounced among girls and in higher education sector. He alleged that several teachers have died unpaid, while many left their jobs as teachers for non-payment of their salary for years.
Dentist service (amendment) rules in offing
Agriculture minister Kumar Sarvajeet, replying on behalf of the health minister, said the government was in the process of amending the dentist service rules to revise the service conditions, procedure for transfer-posting and to sort out salary related issues.
Responding to starred question of Congress member Prem Chandra Mishra, who sought to know if the government had any plan to set up more dental colleges and hospitals and enhance dentists’ salary at par with general physicians. The minister said there was no plan to set up more dental colleges and hospitals, but salary and other things would be taken care of by the upcoming dentists’ service rules.
Council’s security woman wins Gold
Legislative Council chairman Devesh Chandra Thakur and members congratulated a security woman, Shivani Kumari, for winning gold medal in the 1500-metre race at the All India Civil Services Athletics Championship held in Pune. She also won silver medal in 800-metre race in the same competition.
