DINANAGAR, November 27 — Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday raised the State Agreed Price (SAP) for sugarcane to ₹416 per quintal, making the state the highest-paying in India for sugarcane farmers ahead of the new crushing season.
The announcement coincided with the opening of an upgraded Cooperative Sugar Mill and a 28.5 MW co-generation plant in Dinanagar, Gurdaspur. “This pro-farmer step will greatly benefit growers, especially in border areas,” Mann told reporters, adding that sugarcane serves as a water-efficient alternative to paddy.
The new mill, which originally started in 1980 at 1,250 TCD, has been expanded to 5,000 TCD, allowing it to process 80 lakh quintals of sugarcane. Mann said the expansion would enhance sugar quality, cut transportation costs, and generate sustainable revenue through electricity export, while creating jobs for thousands.
A state-of-the-art sulphurless refined sugar plant was also inaugurated, producing premium sugar. The co-gen power plant will export 20 MW to PSPCL, estimated to earn ₹20 crore per season. The expansion is expected to increase the number of farmer suppliers from 2,850 to nearly 7,025.
CM Mann also announced the establishment of a medical college in the region and a Government College for Girls in Tarn Taran, along with construction of a new railway overbridge in Jandiala Guru.
Other initiatives highlighted included the ‘Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojana’, providing ₹10 lakh insurance cover, closure of 17 toll plazas, and free domestic electricity for 90% of households. The Chief Minister also launched the ‘Fateh Sugar’ brand at the Batala Cooperative Sugar Mill. Cabinet Minister Lal Chand Kataruchakk and Sugarfed Chairman Navdeep Singh Jeeda were present on the occasion.
