The state’s first ethanol plant based on maize processing at Kokodi in Kondagaon district is now taking a concrete shape as per the wish of the Chief Minister of the state Mr. Bhupesh Baghel. The target has been set to complete the maize processing plant by June 2023. The maize processing plant will open the doors of economic prosperity for the maize producing farmers of the district. More than 45 thousand farmers will be directly benefited by this. Along with this, processing of maize of maize producing farmers of other nearby districts will be done. Along with this, more than 200 people of the area will get direct employment in the maize processing plant. The establishment of agriculture and forest produce based industries has been kept in the special priority category in the industry policy of the Government of Chhattisgarh. The maize processing plant being built in Kondagaon district at a cost of Rs 140 crore will improve the lives of farmers. This is the first plant being set up in the cooperative sector with the help of the state government. Kondagaon district has the highest production of maize in the state of Chhattisgarh. With the establishment of this plant, farmers are expected to get maximum price for maize. About 35 percent of the construction work of the processing plant has been completed. This plant will prove beneficial not only for the farmers of Kondagaon but also for the farmers of Chhattisgarh. The Maize Processing Plant being set up at village Kokodi will be operated by the Maa Danteshwari Maize Processing and Marketing Cooperative Society. This plant is being built on 14 acres of government land in village Kokodi. About 45 thousand farmers have been registered for the supply of maize in this plant. The plant will process 200 metric tonnes of maize per day, from which 80 thousand liters of ethanol will be prepared. With the setting up of this plant, a new environment will be created for private investors to set up other ancillary industries. In the maize processing plant being constructed at Kokodi village in Kondagaon district, other works including cooling tower and bossing wall have been completed. Steel binding work is in progress. Along with this, the work of Fermentation Cooling Tower has also been completed. The work of construction of warehouse of the plant is also going on. The work of Boiling section is also being done at a fast pace. About 60 to 70 percent of the civil work of the bowling section has been completed. Similarly, civil section for ESP section has also been completed and 80 percent work of turbine has also been completed. The construction work of fermentation tank is going on in this plant. Approval has been received from Environment Department and ground water use for Maize Processing Plant. Approval has been received from PESO and IEM. Production of 3.48 lakh metric tonnes in Kondagaon district Maize production in both Kharif and Rabi seasons has got a big boost in the last three-four years in Kondagaon district. Enthused by the establishment of the plant, farmers are increasing the area under maize year after year. At present, 3 lakh 48 thousand 127 metric tonnes of maize is produced in Kondagaon district every year. The processing plant for the manufacture of ethanol from maize was found feasible by the Estate Project Finance Committee with farmers’ share capital of Rs 7.06 crore. Farmers have contributed a share capital of Rs 7.06 crore in the construction of this plant which is being built at a cost of about Rs 140 crore. Similarly, Rs 21.19 crore has been given by the Mandi Board, Rs 35.32 crore by the state government and Rs 2.10 crore from the cooperative’s own funds. The remaining Rs 75 crore has been raised through bank loan. Incentive to maize producing farmers 47 purchase centers have been set up in Kondagaon district for procurement of maize on support price. Maize is produced on a large scale in Kondagaon Makdi, Farsgaon, Baderajpur development blocks of the district. The work of maize procurement is being done by the Chhattisgarh Civil Supplies Corporation. Maize producing farmers are also being given input subsidy at the rate of Rs 9 thousand per acre by the state government under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyaya Yojana. 65 thousand farmers are associated with maize production in Kondagaon district, one lakh 24 thousand 188 in Kharif season and one lakh 24 thousand 188 in Rabi. 2 lakh 23 thousand 929 tonnes of maize is produced in the season. About 65 thousand farmers of the district are associated with maize production. Foreign exchange will be saved. Ethanol produced in the plant will be sold to Indian Oil Corporation. Which will be mixed with petrol and sold. Due to this, foreign exchange will also be saved and farmers will also get reasonable price for maize. Continue Reading
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