Praneeta Prakash 
[File Photo]
The National Federation Party today made submissions on the Sugar Industry (Amendment) Bill 2024, advocating for significant changes to ensure genuine empowerment of cane growers.
While supporting the bill’s aim to democratize the Cane Growers Council, the NFP expressed concerns about several clauses and proposed key amendments to the parliamentary standing committee.
General Secretary Kamal Iyer made submissions for the reinstatement of the Chief Executive of the Cane Growers Council as the election officer.
He says this practice was in place from 1992 until recent changes as he believes this system ensured impartiality and transparency.
“The grower’s council should not be dictated by anybody you know, willy nilly the regulations are being made, you know, by anybody that would set a very dangerous precedent. Like I said, it may not be done by the current government, by the current minister, or any other minister under this government, but we can’t say about the future, you know. When we say we are empowering cane growers, it means that we should be genuinely empowering cane growers.”
Iyer also raised concerns on one of the clauses which addresses the eligibility of candidates for election to the Sugar Cane Growers’ Council.
He says this restricts the participation of cane producer associations.
He urged that this clause be removed to ensure that all registered cane growers have equal rights to contest elections.
