Socio-economic Benefits of Innovations in Sugarcane Procurement System in Uttar Pradesh Sharma Ashwani K., Solomon S., Rizvi Kamran, Prakash Brahm Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow-226 002, Uttar Pradesh Online published on 9 October, 2012. Abstract To overcome the problems associated with the existing cane supply arrangements to sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh, an innovative model of cane procurement system, viz. Sugarcane Information System (SIS) was developed by UP Sugarcane Department in 2010. It comprises website at sugar mills, password protected webpage for all cane growers supported by mobile text messages (SMS) and IVRS, and has accomplished the gigantic task of making online around 150 million annual transactions/interactions between 3.0 million sugarcane farmers, 125 sugar mills and 168 cane cooperative societies engaged in the marketing of sugarcane worth  1,50,000 million annually. Based on the information gathered from the sugar mills and the farmers pertaining to one year (year 2010–11 over 2009–10), the paper has analysed the impact of SIS on three fronts, viz. (i) benefits to sugarcane farmers, (ii) benefits to sugar mills, and (iii) efficiency enhancement of the Cane Department. The implementation of SIS has provided savings to cane farmers and financial benefits to sugar mills. There is a complete paradigm shift in the efficiency, accuracy, timeliness and competence ushered in by this e-governance project. The SIS is the largest rural IT network which is financially-viable, technologically-accessible, socially-acceptable, user-friendly, and can be replicated in other departments/areas. Top Keywords Sugar industry, sugar farmers, Sugarcane Information System, Uttar Pradesh. Top |