Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann today took a historic decision by announcing an increase in the State Agreed Price (SAP) for sugarcane to ₹416 per quintal for the upcoming crushing season. With this announcement, Punjab has once again become the state offering the highest price to sugarcane farmers in the country, demonstrating his government’s firm commitment to protecting farmers’ interests.
While interacting with the media after inaugurating a new sugar mill and co-generation plant in Dinanagar, CM Mann expressed hope that this pro-farmer step by the government would greatly benefit sugarcane growers, especially those in the border districts. The Chief Minister stated that sugarcane is an excellent alternative to water-guzzling crops like paddy and will strengthen the state’s crop diversification efforts. He also appealed to the central government to recognise and promote sugarcane as a water-saving alternative crop.
On this occasion, the Chief Minister dedicated the newly constructed Cooperative Sugar Mill and a 28.5 MW Co-generation Power Plant in Gurdaspur (Dinanagar) to the public. He mentioned that the mill, which started in 1980 with a capacity of 1,250 TCD (Tonnes Crushed per Day), was later expanded to 2,000 TCD. Now, the crushing capacity of this new mill has been expanded to 5,000 TCD to ensure efficient processing of approximately 80 lakh quintals of sugarcane in the area. He said that this new complex will increase processing capacity, enhance farmers’ income, improve sugar quality, reduce the burden of transportation, and create a sustainable source of revenue from electricity export, providing direct and indirect employment to thousands of people.
The Chief Chief Minister further informed that a state-of-the-art Sulphurless Refined Sugar Plant has also been installed in the complex, which will produce premium-grade sugar. Furthermore, the 28.5 MW Co-generation Power Plant is expected to export an additional 20 MW of electricity to PSPCL, generating an estimated annual revenue of approximately ₹20 crore for the mill every crushing season. He said that this expansion is expected to increase the number of farmers supplying sugarcane to the mill from 2,850 to nearly 7,025, which will reduce their dependence on distant private mills and save them transportation time and cost.
Responding to the demands of the public as well as farmers, the Chief Minister announced that the long-standing demand for a medical college in the region will be fulfilled soon. Additionally, the government has started the process to establish a Government College for Girls in Tarn Taran to provide quality higher education to young women, and work is underway to build a new overbridge on the railway line in Jandiala Guru to improve connectivity.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann stated that the state government is fully prepared to launch the ‘Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana’ (Chief Minister’s Health Scheme), which will ensure an insurance cover of ₹10 lakh for citizens. He also expressed pride that Punjab has successfully closed 17 toll plazas to reduce the burden on commuters. He mentioned that 90% of households in Punjab are receiving free domestic electricity. Earlier, the Chief Minister also launched the ‘Fateh Sugar’ brand of sulphurless refined sugar (one-kilogram pack and 5-gram sachet), which is being produced at the Batala Cooperative Sugar Mill. Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchakk and Sugarfed Chairman Navdeep Singh Jeeda were also present on the occasion.
