Yogi govt to check alcohol abuse

Lucknow: Aimed towards empowering farmers and the sugarcane mills in the state, the Yogi Adityanath government is ensuring complete transparency in production of ethanol from sugarcane juice and syrup as approved in the New Sugarcane Molasses Policy 2022-23 by the cabinet. To check alcohol abuse, under the new sugarcane molasses policy, every sugar mill will have to reserve at least 20 percent of the total molasses production in terms of C- heavy molasses.

At the same time, in view of the high demand for molasses, certain conditions have been placed on exports to other states and countries. It is worth mentioning that at present about 158 sugar mills are engaged in crushing of sugarcane in the state. Out of these sugar mills, 28 are of the Uttar Pradesh Co-operative Sugar Mills Association, 23 of Uttar Pradesh State Sugar Corporation, 3 of Government of India and 104 sugar mills belong to the private sector.

The Ethanol Supply Year (ESY) period is defined from 1st November of every year to 31st October of the following year. Various types of alcohol such as rectified spirit, and ENA are prepared from the sugar mills of Uttar Pradesh. Alcohol produced from molasses is used in distilleries (for the manufacture of beverages), petroleum depots, pharmacies, chemical units, various hospitals, educational institutions, laboratories, security institutions and other establishments. There are a large number of units manufacturing and demanding different types of alcohol, whose balance of demand and supply needs to be maintained.

The state government, through this step, will also check the misuse of molasses in manufacturing and in the sale of illicit alcohol.