LAHORE: The Punjab government is going to lay the amendments introduced in the Sugar Factories Control Act through two ordinances promulgated by it before the start of sugarcane crushing season in September-October 2020 to make them part of the Act.
The proposed amendments to the Sugar Factories Control Act will be tabled in the coming session of the Punjab Assembly which is likely to be called in the next week.
Punjab Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs Basharat Raja while talking to The News confirmed that the proposed amendments were with the special committee which was headed by him.
“We have completed all the required worked and a meeting of the minister and secretary concerned of the department that brought the ordinance was scheduled. However, due to some reasons the meeting was not held,” he said, assuring that the amendment will be tabled in the coming session of the assembly and it would be included in the assembly business.
On a question, Basharat Raja confirmed that amendments introduced through ordinance would be passed without any hurdle, while action taken during the ordinance would also be covered through retrospective date with induction of a clause in the Act.
Earlier, the Punjab government made amendments to the Sugar Factories (Control) Act, 1950 (XXII of 1950) through two ordinances before the start of current sugarcane crushing season. As a result of the ordinance, the government was able to start sugarcane crushing season timely and ensured the sugar growers payments accordingly.
The government has amended Section 8 of the Sugar Factories (Control) Act, 1950 (XXII of 1950) which deals with notice of crushing through the ordinance.
According to the promulgated Sugar Factories (Control) (Second Amendment) Ordinance 2020 by Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, “It was necessary to amend the Sugar Factories (Control) Act, 1950 (XXII of 1950) to modify the provisions relating to crushing of the cane. The ordinance will come into force at once and the occupier of a factory shall start crushing of cane not later than a date specified by the government.”
The Punjab government had made another major amendment to the Sugar Factories (Control) Ordinance 2020 -- it has made it binding on the sugar millers to start crushing season on a date specified by the government instead of at the will of the millers.
The government had made amendments to the Sugar Factories (Control Amendment) Ordinance 2020 on September 24, 2020, and amended sections 2, 13, 13-A, 14, 21 and 22 of the Punjab Sugar Factories (Control) Act 1950.
The Section 22 of the Punjab Sugar Factories (Control) Act 1950 deals with the punishments and fines in case of violation of the any section of the Act. The government through ordinance increased the punishment and fines to the highest level. According to the ordinance Section 22, “Any person contravening the provisions of this Act or any order or rule made thereunder shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine which may extend to five million rupees per day or with both: provided that the fine shall not be less than five million rupees per day in case of repeated offence.”
The sugar industry has made hue and cry on these amendments but the government did not bow to it. The sugar industry also questioned that amendments to the Punjab Sugar Factories (Control) Act 1950, while no such changes will come in Sindh, then it will create disequilibrium which may result in closing or shifting of sugar mills from Punjab to Sindh.
