Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah is set to attend the ‘Sugar Conclave and National Efficiency Award 2022-23’ ceremony as the chief guest on Saturday, August 10, 2024, in New Delhi.
The award ceremony, organized by the National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF) Limited, will also feature Shri Amit Shah presenting the National Efficiency Awards across eight different areas of cooperation.
The National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories (NFCSF) is the apex body that includes all 260 cooperative sugar factories and nine state sugar federations throughout the country.
Aligned with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” (Prosperity Through Cooperation), the Ministry of Cooperation has undertaken several initiatives to support cooperative sugar factories. This includes providing grant-in-aid to the NCDC to strengthen cooperative sugar mills.
The ‘Efficiency Awards,’ established by the NFCSF, are an annual initiative designed to assess the performance of cooperative sugar factories. These awards evaluate various aspects of performance, including Sugarcane Development, Technical Efficiency, Financial Management, Highest Sugarcane Crushing, Highest Sugar Recovery, Maximum Sugar Export, and overall performance.
An expert committee undertakes a comprehensive evaluation process, analyzing each factory’s performance. After a thorough assessment, the committee finalized a total of 21 awards for the 2022-23 year.
A total of 92 cooperative sugar factories from across the country participated in the Efficiency Awards 2022-23 competition. Among these, 38 were from Maharashtra, 11 each from Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, 10 from Tamil Nadu, eight each from Punjab and Haryana, four from Karnataka, and one each from Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
To ensure a level playing field for the participating sugar mills, the country’s sugar sector was divided into two groups. The first group comprised Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Karnataka, states known for higher sugar production (above 10 percent). A total of 53 cooperative sugar factories from this group participated. The second group consisted of the remaining states with below 10 percent average sugar production, with 39 cooperative sugar factories taking part.
Creating these groups fosters an environment where factories are encouraged to enhance their efficiency in sugar production and embrace a competitive spirit. A policy of “one prize per factory” is also maintained.
The conclave, to be held at the Dr. Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, will be attended by Union Ministers of State for Cooperation, Shri Krishan Pal Gurjar and Shri Murlidhar Mohol.
The event will also see the participation of Chairpersons, Vice-Chairpersons, and Managing Directors of all cooperative sugar mills across the country. Additionally, ministers who are part of the ministerial group on sugar/ethanol and senior officials related to the sugar sector from both central and state governments have been invited.
Alongside this program, the annual general body meeting of the NFCSF and a technical seminar on two key issues affecting the sugar sector will also take place. Eminent subject experts will discuss and deliberate on issues that have been impacting and influencing this sector.
