Factory worth Rs 800 m:

Hingurana Sugar sold for Rs 128 m, only Rs 25 m paid

Uditha KUMARASINGHE, Irangika RANGE and Sandasen MARASINGHE

Supplementary Plantation Crops Development Minister Dharmadasa Banda told Parliament yesterday that the Hingurana Sugar Factory worth Rs. 800 million was sold at Rs. 128 million in 1993 but the Government has received only Rs. 25 million of it.

Minister Banda made the statement in response to a question raised by JVP member Wasantha Piyatissa. The Minister also stated that the Hingurana Sugar Factory was sold on a tender approved by the Cabinet in 1993.

Later the factory was acquired by the Government in 1995 and production stopped since 1997.

Minister Banda further said the Government had not been able to claim the full amount of money as S. Arumugam who bought the Hingurana Sugar Factory in 1993 was dead.