Amit Shah Inaugurates Expanded Pravara Sugar Factory, Hails Legacy of Vikhe Patil Family

In a significant boost to India’s cooperative movement and industrial self-reliance, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, inaugurated the expanded facility of the Pravara Sugar Factory at its Central Complex in Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar), Maharashtra, on Saturday. The event marked a milestone in the ongoing transformation of India’s cooperative sugar industry under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The inauguration ceremony also saw the unveiling of life-size statues of Padma Shri Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe Patil, the pioneer of India’s cooperative sugar movement, and his son, Padma Bhushan Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, a stalwart who expanded the cooperative model into education, healthcare, and rural development.

Several dignitaries graced the occasion, including Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, and Union Minister of State for Cooperation Murlidhar Mohol. Earlier in the day, Shri Shah visited Shirdi Sai Dham, where he offered prayers for peace, prosperity, and the well-being of all citizens.

Celebrating the Spirit of Maharashtra’s Cooperative Legacy

Addressing a large gathering in Ahilyanagar, Shri Shah lauded the courage and vision of Maharashtra’s leadership, remarking that only the followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj could have the determination to rename Aurangabad as Sambhajinagar and Ahmednagar as Ahilyanagar, honouring the legacy of national heroes.

He expressed concern for the recent devastation caused by heavy rains across Maharashtra, noting that over 60 lakh hectares of farmland had been affected. Reaffirming the Centre’s support, he announced that under the 2025–26 financial allocation, the Central Government had provided ₹3,132 crore to Maharashtra, of which ₹1,631 crore was released in April 2025.

He commended the Maharashtra government—led by Fadnavis, Shinde, and Pawar—for introducing a ₹2,215 crore relief package benefiting 31 lakh farmers, which includes ₹10,000 in direct cash assistance and 35 kg of food grains per affected family. The government also suspended short-term agricultural loan recoveries and waived land revenue dues and school examination fees for impacted households.

“On behalf of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I assure that there will not be a moment’s delay in assisting farmers once the state submits its final report,” Shah declared, emphasizing that Maharashtra’s people had chosen a government that truly prioritizes farmers’ welfare.

Honouring the Visionaries of the Cooperative Movement

The event paid tribute to Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe Patil, who established Asia’s first cooperative sugar mill in the 1950s, revolutionizing rural prosperity through collective ownership and profit-sharing among farmers. His model transformed sugar production by ensuring that profits flowed directly to farmers’ accounts instead of traders’ pockets—a practice that became the cornerstone of India’s cooperative philosophy.

Shri Shah also highlighted the contributions of Dr. Balasaheb Vikhe Patil, who carried forward his father’s legacy by channeling cooperative profits toward education, healthcare, and social welfare initiatives. A seven-time Member of Parliament and a former Union Minister under Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government, Balasaheb was instrumental in securing a revival package from the Reserve Bank of India that helped rescue 225 cooperative banks in Gujarat.

“The Vikhe Patil family transformed the cooperative movement into a vehicle for rural empowerment and self-reliance. Their vision continues to guide the spirit of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” Shri Shah said.

Transforming the Pravara Sugar Factory into a Modern Industrial Hub

Shri Shah inaugurated the expanded facilities of the Dr. Vithalrao Vikhe Patil Cooperative Sugar Mill, which was originally established in 1950–51 with a crushing capacity of 500 tonnes per day (TPD). The upgraded plant now boasts a processing capacity of 7,200 TPD, with plans to scale it up to 15,000 TPD in the coming years.

Under the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) scheme for modernizing cooperative sugar mills, the Pravara unit has received significant financial and technical support. The expansion includes:

• An alcohol distillation plant upgraded from 15 KLPD to 92 KLPD, with approvals for 240 KLPD;

• An ethanol production unit expanded from 20 KLPD to 150 KLPD;

• A biogas plant scaled up from 12,000 to 30,000 cubic meters per day; and

• A cogeneration power plant enhanced from 30 MW to 68 MW capacity.

These upgrades not only improve operational efficiency but also strengthen the cooperative’s contribution to India’s biofuel and renewable energy goals, aligning with the government’s vision for energy self-sufficiency.

Ethanol Revolution: A Key to Energy Security

Highlighting India’s success in ethanol blending, Shri Shah noted that ethanol blending in petrol has reached 20%, a major leap from less than 2% a decade ago. Since 2014, India’s ethanol production capacity has increased fivefold, while distilleries have doubled, and supply has expanded tenfold.

He urged cooperative sugar mills to convert their ethanol plants into multi-feed facilities, capable of producing ethanol not only from sugarcane but also from maize, rice, and agricultural waste.

“The NCDC will provide the necessary financial support for this diversification,” he said, adding that the Modi government has earmarked ₹10,000 crore in loan assistance for ethanol projects and reduced GST on molasses from 28% to 5%.

Shri Shah also appealed to cooperative mills to diversify their production lines by venturing into processed foods, frozen vegetables, juices, and fruit pulp, and to partner with NAFED and NCCF for market linkages.

Cooperative Sector Achievements Under the Modi Government

Shri Shah detailed several reforms that have strengthened India’s cooperative landscape since the establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation in 2021. These include:

• Enacting a Cooperative Settlement Act with retrospective effect, saving cooperatives from an annual financial burden of ₹4,400 crore.

• Granting tax parity between cooperatives and corporations, waiving over ₹10,000 crore in tax dues.

• Facilitating the establishment of 67 new sugar mills, increasing national sugar output by 1 million metric tonnes.

These achievements, Shah emphasized, have empowered cooperatives to become the “economic backbone” of India’s rural and agricultural ecosystem.

A Call for Economic Patriotism and Self-Reliance

Concluding his address, Shri Amit Shah reiterated Prime Minister Modi’s appeal for citizens to embrace economic nationalism this festive season.

“This Diwali, let every Indian take a pledge that no foreign-made product enters our homes. With 140 crore consumers, India itself is the world’s largest market. If we all buy Indian, we will lead the world before 2047,” he said.

He added that cooperative sugar mills have a crucial role to play in realizing this vision by supporting local manufacturing, sustainable agriculture, and rural entrepreneurship.

From Cooperative Vision to National Transformation

The inauguration of the expanded Pravara Sugar Factory stands as a powerful testament to India’s cooperative spirit, industrial modernization, and women-inclusive growth. By blending tradition, technology, and transformation, SECL’s expansion and the Vikhe Patil legacy continue to inspire rural prosperity and national pride.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Amit Shah, the cooperative sector is emerging as a key driver of Atmanirbhar Bharat—turning India’s rural workforce into architects of a self-reliant and globally competitive economy.