The State government has issued notices to the six sugar factories which are yet to pay sugar cane growers their dues.
In a written statement issued on Wednesday in the Legislative Council, Sugar Minister Prakash Hukkeri said the six defaulting sugar factories have a total of Rs 31.95 crore dues to sugar cane growers.
The defaulters are: Bidar co-operative factory, Hallikhed (Rs 14.44 cr); Ghataprabha co-op factory (Rs 12.86 cr); Bhavani Sugars, Barur (Rs 2.06 cr); ISR Sugars, Hospet (Rs 15 lakh); Satish Sugars, Hunshihal (Rs 94 lakh) and Soubhagyalakshmi Sugars, Hirenandi (Rs 150 cr).
He said under Section 3 (8) of the Karnataka Sugar cane (Purchase and Supply Control) Act, 2013, deputy commissioner is vested with the power to consider default in payment to farmers equivalent to defaulting on paying land revenue, and initiate action accordingly.
CM to leave for Delhi
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would be leaving for New Delhi on Thursday to attend a meeting convened by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to discuss the sugar cane price issue. The chief ministers of Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh have also been invited for the meeting. Siddaramaiah is scheduled to attend two functions on Thursday in Bangalore.
He would not attend the legislature session for the next two days.