Will conduct tripartite meeting with sago manufacturers, farmers and monitoring committee every six months: Minister

Tripartite meeting with sago manufacturers, tapioca farmers, and the monitoring committee will be held every six months, said T.M. Anbasaran, Minister for MSME and Tamil Nadu Urban Habitation Development Board, here on Thursday.

Mr. Anbarasan and Municipal Administration Minister K.N. Nehru conducted a tripartite meeting on Thursday at the Salem Collectorate, in which sago manufacturers and tapioca farmers voiced their grievances and demands.

Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Nehru said the Chief Minister was taking steps to upgrade the Salem sago business to international standards. The grievances and demands of the farmers and manufacturers will be brought to the notice of the Chief Minister and addressed.

Steps will be taken to include tapioca farmers as members in Sagoserve. Instructions given to the monitoring committee, which consists of officials from the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board and Food Safety Department and is headed by the District Collector, will ensure effluent treatment plants are set up in all the sago industries, Mr. Nehru said.

Replying to the demand of tapioca farmers to set up a sago factory on behalf of the State government, Mr. Anbarasan said that the demand will be brought to the notice of the Chief Minister.

Sago manufacturers should produce quality sago, and stern action will be taken against manufacturers who are involved in adulteration. In many States in north India, sago is the primary food, like rice is in Tamil Nadu. The monitoring committee will monitor the industries to prevent adulteration, and everyone should co-operate with the committee, he said.

Later, the Minister distributed welfare assistance to 24 beneficiaries to the tune of ₹25.44 lakh. The Ministers visited the stalls at the Sagoserve exhibition.