Media Coverage
Making a Mark Despite the Odds
EI Staff | Jun 04, 2015
12 underprivileged students sponsored by ‘Help A Child’ achieve over 90% in the Karnataka State exams
Karnataka: In the recent 12th grade results in Karnataka, 12 students sponsored by Help A Child, an initiative of Godavari Biorefineries Limited, scored more than 90% in the exam and 3 students have scored 100/100 marks in Physics and Math. ‘Help A Child’ in association with Somaiya Vidyavihar provides scholarships to highly motivated students. The resounding success of this program has shown that children when given an opportunity have ability and a will to succeed despite insurmountable odds.
Abhishek Karadi, from S.R. Pre University College, Banahatti who has secured 95.66 % in HSC Commerce stream, said that “I come from a humble family background, where my father is a weaver and mother is a housewife. Even though I excelled in school and got 91.84% in the Xth exams, I never thought that I could study further for graduation, as financially it was not possible. Graduation was a distant dream. ’Help A Child’ sponsored my education. They not only
provided me with financial support but also moral support. This has helped me secure good marks in the 12th grade.”
Another topper, Dixita Vare who has secured 94.83% in HSC Science stream from S.R. Pre University College, had secured 94.24% in the Xth, Banahatti says, “I was planning to quit studies due to lack of finances, since I come from a very poor financial background, my father is a daily wage labourer and mother is a housewife. ‘Help A Child’ provided me access to textbooks, financial help and kept me motivated which made it possible for me not only study but also excel in my exams.
Further, one student Prashant Hangandi B.A III (S.T.C. College, Banahatti) has bagged two gold medals in Economics and Geography subjects from the Rani Chennamma University, Belgaum. He did B.A from S.T.C. College, Banahatti and scored 89.93% in final year.He has been sponsored by ‘Help A Child’, since 2009.
Samir Somaiya, Chairman, Godavari Biorefineries Limited says, “Education is the backbone of every society in this world. However, underprivileged children from rural areas often have to drop out from school denying themselves access to quality education and professional skills and continuing the cycle of poverty.We aim to reach out to those who need our help the most, to ensure that they do not have to give up their education simply because of a lack of funds.”
He adds, “Much more needs to be done. Many individual and corporates have joined hands with us in this initiative, sponsoring students for their higher education. Many of our ex-students today have become sponsors. We are proud of the achievements of our students.”
Nandan Mehta, who has sponsored a student through Help A Child says “ I have supported Help a Child for some years where I have had the opportunity to witness growth and development of the child I supported. The importance of enabling Higher Education, especially of rural and underprivileged children, can be really understood when one meets these children and sees their determination to achieve in life. I am very happy to be able to contribute towards this initiative”.
Students who achieved over 90% are Abhishekh Karadi, Dixita Vare, Shrinath Raval, Vinod Baogi, Sahana Savadi, Aditya Madar, Pooja Geddappannavar, Rohini Dhingane, Manjunath Madarkhandi, Preeti Sultanpur, Mahalaxmi Hangandi, Anusha Muragundi.
Link: http://www.educationinsider.net/detail_news.php?id=2194
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A Bitter Harvest
Business India | Sep 14, 2015Correct the mismatch in pricing and save the sugar industry
It is a super industry, and we need to look at it from an advantageous point of view:
- Millions of farmers grow cane in large areas of the country
- Cane is among the most remunerative crops for them (if policy is good), and also hardy (it can with stand drought and flood better than many).
- India is the largest consumer of sugar in the world.
- From cane, a variety of by-products such as ethanol and power can be produced.
The problem that the sugar industry faces is one of oversupply of cane. This is primarily due to high announced prices (fair and remunerative price or FRP) and returns. Any farmer faced with a good price pronouncement of cane will plant more. This then leads to an oversupply of sugar, which will automatically depress the price of sugar. Prices need to be based on economics, and only then will this mismatch be corrected. Thus, sugar prices are low, and cane prices are high, making the payment of cane price, the FRP impossible. And this will not change, unless this mismatch is corrected.
In recommending the FRP, the CACP (Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) had suggested the cane price, with the proviso, that if the frp was higher than the economically linked Rangarajan formula (this price links the price of cane to the price of sugar, molasses and bagasse), then the difference should be met by the government, through some stabilisation fund. The government announced the FRP by only looking at FRP number, and overlooked the suggestion of the price difference. So, one option is for the government to pay this difference.
The other approach is to create demand. This can be done by:
- Buying sugar for a ‘strategic reserve’. This can work once or twice, but a long-term natural demand must be created.
- The government should give a subsidy for exporting sugar (raw, white or refined). A subsidy for raw sugar was announced, but at the end of the season, so by the time the price was announced, the season was almost over, and the raw price had fallen.
- Creating a programme that encourages the use of sugarcane for production of ethanol, biochemicals, sugarcane for production of ethanol, biochemicals, or even electricity, so that mills have alternate revenue streams, as well as options to put their surplus sugar. The government has just announced an excise exemption for ethanol used in fuel, this is good. Policies can be examined for examining the same for bio-refineries, and also giving good prices for power through the implementation of recs (many states such as Karnataka, are not following the recommendations of CERC for RECs).
Further, since sugarcane pricing will always be politically sensitive sugar prices will always have to be protected by high import duty. Not because the industry needs protection, but because the cane price, and therefore the farmer, needs protection. The recent policy measures raising import duty, etc, are good in the long run, as an insurance against Brazilian or international low prices.
It is best to follow the Rangarajan formula – linking the price of sugarcane to sugar, molasses and bagasse – the primary by-products. This is done in Brazil, Thailand, and almost everywhere else.
The high prices of cane, those too high to pay, result in some farmers getting a very high price, and some get nothing. This leads to poverty and a crisis. This is industry provides employment to lakhs of people and even many more million farmers.
The author is chairman and managing director, Godavari Biorefineries Limited.
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PE Firm Mandala Capital Invests Rs 96 Crore in Godavari Biorefineries
Economic Times | May 12, 2015
MUMBAI: Mandala Capital, a private equity firm focused on agribusinesses, has invested Rs 96 crore, or $15 million, in Godavari Biorefineries, a Mumbai-based company that manufactures foods, biofuels, specialty chemicals and other products using sugarcane as the primary feedstock.
The company will use the money to set up a new manufacturing plant for specialty chemicals and increase ethanol production capacity, besides for research and development.
Founded in 1939, Godavari has a capacity to manufacture more than 70 million litres of ethanol, which it uses to make chemicals for making paints, printing inks, pharmaceuticals, flexible packaging, fragrances and cosmetics. Godavari counts Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages and BASF among clients. "Our focus is on developing new production processes to manufacture specialty and high performance chemicals using biomass as raw materials within the value chain," said Godavari Biorefineries chairman Samir Somaiya.
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