Mumbai: Maharashtra cabinet, on Wednesday, approved the allotment of 100 acres of land to Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) in Jalna district. The institute, which is situated at Hadapsar, Pune, is engaged in sugarcane research and operates through three channels, including academic, extension and research.
VSI chief and former union minister Sharad Pawar, at an annual general meeting held last month, had urged Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who was also present, to allot land in Jalna. Thackeray had then assured that their demand would be met. The institute has been pursuing the matter for the last five years.
Minister of Public Health and VSI board member Rajesh Tope told FPJ, ''VSI was established in the year 1975 by the sugarcane growers and farmers of cooperative sugar factories. It works for their socio-economic improvement through research by providing them new and cutting edge technologies. The institute undertakes or helps to carry on research and other scientific work in connection with the trade or industry related to sugarcane/ sugarbeet or other sugar bearing plants, sugar by-products and allied industries in India.'' He informed that VSI undertakes development activities in sugar factories for improving their techno-economic efficiency.
Tope said the sugar industry in Maharashtra contributes about Rs 4,000 crore worth taxes annually. ''Research and development is equally important for sugarcane growers and farmers to change their practices in view of the constraints on the use of water and atmospheric changes. VSI in Jalna will play major role in academic, extension and research,'' he noted.
