Maharashtra: Rs 10 cr bank guarantee mandated for leased sugar mills to ensure FRP payments
Mumbai (PTI): A bank guarantee of Rs 10 crore has been mandated for sugar mills in Maharashtra operating on a lease or partnership basis to ensure the timely payment of Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) to sugarcane farmers, officials said on Monday.
The state Cooperation Department's decision aims to secure FRP dues during the crushing season, though concerns have been raised that the amount may be inadequate given the scale of operations of most such mills.
According to officials, many cooperative sugar factories are financially stressed and have been given on lease or partnership under norms based on provisions of the securitisation law. While eligibility criteria for operating such mills had been laid down earlier, there was no clear mechanism to ensure timely FRP payments.
Under the new decision, at the time of entering into lease or partnership agreements and while applying for crushing licences, the company or agency taking over the mill or another sugar factory will have to furnish a minimum bank guarantee of Rs 10 crore in the name of the Sugar Commissioner.
If FRP is not paid on time during the crushing season, the dues of cane suppliers, along with interest for the delayed period, will be recovered from the bank guarantee. Any balance amount remaining after settlement of FRP dues will be returned after the end of the crushing season upon submission of a no-dues certificate, officials said.
They added that district collectors have been empowered to invoke the bank guarantee to ensure payment of FRP.
The order also provides that in case of default, coercive action cannot be taken against the immovable and movable assets of the original cooperative sugar factory. Instead, recovery proceedings, including attachment, may be initiated against the movable and immovable assets of the operating agency or company, as well as against sugar, molasses, bagasse and other by-products produced by the mill.
Commenting on the decision, farmers' leader Raju Shetti said the move was welcome but the guarantee amount should be much higher.
"Most cooperative sugar factories in the state are financially sick and have been given on lease. Their crushing capacity ranges between 3,000 and 5,000 tonnes per day. They have to pay at least Rs 100 to Rs 150 crore as FRP. In such a scenario, a Rs 10 crore bank guarantee is too low and should be increased," Shetti said.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
