Panaji, Sep 30 (IANS): The Goa cabinet on Thursday approved the appointment of a consultant to set up an ethanol production plant in the state, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said.
The plant is proposed to be set up in the now defunct Sanjivani Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana in South Goa, which has become a bone of contention between sugarcane manufacturing farmers and the state government.
"The cabinet has approved the appointment of a consultant to set up an ethanol plant at Sanjivani. The Deccan Sugar Technologists Association has been appointed to draft a project report," the Chief Minister said, adding that the Goa government was eligible for a Rs 56 crore low interest loan from the Centre to set up the plant.
The state's only sugar factory has been shut down for several years now owing to poor management and lack of adequate sugar production in the state.