Rs 7,000-crore bailout package for sugarcane farmers
New Delhi, June 6: The Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Rs 7,000-crore bailout package and set the minimum selling price for sugar at Rs 29 per kg to support the struggling sector, a Union Minister said.
"In order to remove the problem of liquidity of sugar mills resulting in accumulation of huge cane price arrears of farmers, the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved ... measures involving total amount of about Rs 7,000 crore," Union Minister for Law, Justice and IT Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
The decision of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) comes as excess production in the current sugar season has depressed its market price, adversely affecting the liquidity position of sugar mills leading to accumulation of Rs 22,000-crore dues to the farmers.
The package comprises Rs 1,175 crore for creating a 30 lakh MT buffer stock, Rs 4,440 crore as soft loan for mill owners to increase ethanol production capacity to divert surplus sugarcane and Rs 1,332 crore towards interest subvention for the loan, the Cabinet said in a note.
"...government will bear interest subvention of maximum Rs 1,332 crore over a period of five years including moratorium period of one year on estimated bank loan amounting to Rs 4,440 crore to be sanctioned to the sugar mills by the banks over a period of three years," it said.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
