LUDHIANA: Charanjit Singh Singh Atwal Deputy Speaker Lok Sabha has stated  that the SAD-BJP Govt had decided to make all the 15 Cooperative Sugar Mills of the state operational to enhance the area under sugar cane, so that the income of the farmers from agriculture could be bettered.

Atwal was addressing a well attended function of the cane growing  farmers after inaugurating the crushing season of Budhewal Sugar mill 15 kms away from here today.

Atwal said that the Sugar mills will be run on the  professional line and side projects of Power Generation and Ethanol production were being  installed in all the 9 functional sugar  mills. He said that  the tenders for this had already been floated and the projects will be functional by August 2010 positively. He added that the power projects in Sugar mills will have the generating capacity of 150 MW, which will be supplied through   PBEB transmission system.

The Deputy Speaker said that the previous Congress Govt. had decided to sell all the Cooperative  Sugar mills   to the private players under a dubious deals and after taking over in state, the SAD-BJP Govt. had decided not to sell even a single  Cooperative Sugar Mill of the state. With a view to  restart the closed sugar Mills, a Private Consultative company had been hired, which will submit its final report by January, 2009, he added. Mr. Atwal claimed that whenever SAD-BJP Govt. came to power in the state, the MSPs of crops were substantially enhanced by putting pressure on the Union Govt.. He said that the state of Punjab was paying highest prices for Sugar cane of Rs. 165 per qtl in the country and to further boost the production of Sugar cane the MSP for Next year had already been announced at Rs.  185 per qtl, so that the farmers could be encouraged to sow more crop next year. He criticized the Union UPA Govt. lead by Congress for adopting anti farmer policies to ruin the economy of the Punjab, which was the major producer of food grains. Mr. Atwal  appealed the people to through out the corrupt and anti Punjab Union UPA govt. during the next parliamentary elections, so that the state could get maximum share from the central funds for the development works. He said that the interests of state and all sections of people were fully safe in the hands of Badal Govt.  and the development process had been fastened in the state.

Ajmer Singh Lakhowal Chairman Punjab Mandi Board whole addressing the farmers said that the Punjab govt. was paying remunerative prices for Sugar cane to the farmers and the crop once again had become remunerative. He said that Mandi Board had launched a special campaign for the repair of ll the link roads in the state.

Later . Atwal laid the foundation stones of five new link roads to be constructed at 75 lakhs. The new roads included  Raheemabad to Budhewal road, Jodhwal to Burj Sherpur, Isapur Mand to Gurdawara Jodhwal, Dhellewal to Band on Satluj and Garhi Sainian to Machhiwara Chack Lohat Road.

Prominent among others who addressed the functions included mr. Jagjiwan Singh Khirnian MLA, Sh. V K Bhalla MD SUGARFED, Mr. Ajmer Singh Bhagpur Chairman Milk Plant, mr. Santa Singh Umedpur District President SAD Rural, Mr. Pawan Kumar Tonni District President BJP Rural, Baba Jagroop Singh,  Sh. Dharamjit Singh Gill Vice President Sugar Mill and Sh. Ujjagar Singh president MC Machhiwara.