The Sugar plant located in the remote district of Sankili in Andhra Pradesh was inhabited by a few marginalised farmers when GMR Industries set up its sugar plant there. To address the issues of inadequate infrastructure facilities for irrigation, transportation, lack of awareness among farmers on the latest farm technology to name a few, the Group launched an intensive cane development programme that focused on the following areas:

• All inputs for sugarcane farming were provided to the farmers, including quality seed material.
• Farmers were educated on scientific methods of cane farming, including organised educational tours to other developed cane areas in the country on a regular basis.
• Irrigation infrastructure was developed utilising ground water potential as well as perennial rivers, canals, etc.
• Field roads were developed for easy transportation of cane from the fields to factory.
• Harvesting and transportation related help was provided to enable farmers in transporting cane to the factory at competent rates.
• Low cost transport bullock carts were provided at subsidised rates.
• Farmers were taught to adopt the latest technology in agriculture like Drip Irrigation and so on.

Through these measures, the Group increased cane yield from 70,000 MT to 600,000 MT within a span of seven years. Further, the cane yield per acre for the plant crop has increased from the initial 18 tonnes per acre to 30 tonnes per acre today.

• Agricultural wastes like cane trash, jute stick, ground nut shell, paddy husk, etc are used as fuel in co-generation. This generates additional income for the farmers.
• The plant benefits more than 40,000 rural people directly or indirectly. It has also curbed the exodus of farmers to other places in search of livelihood during lean months by providing round-the-year employment to them.
• The plant has benefited the farmers immensely by providing an assured market and income for their produce
• Infrastructure like roads, medicare, irrigation facilities etc. has also improved substantially as a direct fall-out of the sugar plant.
• The Group has also started schools with good infrastructure, offering quality education in collaboration with reputed institutions, namely DAV and Bhavans. Farmers' children are given preference during admissions and are also given huge concessions in fee
• Initial agricultural input needed to start sugarcane farming are provided at very reasonable interest rates and recovered from cane proceeds. Hence, exploitation through middlemen is completely avoided.
• Health camps are organised regularly. Further, a mobile medical unit is sponsored through Help Age India to provide free treatment to the aged in the villages located around the sugar plant.
• Domestic dairy for the sugarcane farmers is encouraged by extending all necessary financial and technical support. This enables farmers to generate additional income and enhance their standard of living.
• Drip Irrigation is encouraged in a big way with the help of Government sponsored schemes. This has substantially enhanced yield and reduced cost of production. 2000 acres of land has already been brought under drip irrigation.

• We are mainly producing two grades of superior quality sugar, namely M - 30 and S - 30 through the adoption of the latest technology
• Several innovative Energy Conservation Measures have been adopted to bring down the energy consumption levels. Steam consumption has been reduced from 35% to 32%, the lowest steam consumption figure in the Sugar industry.
• As a part of Total Quality Management, the Group has introduced Quality Circle concept for the first time in the Sugar Industry of Andhra Pradesh through voluntary participation of the employees.
• The plant is the first in the Sugar industry of Andhra Pradesh to receive the ISO 9001-2000 certificate
• The Sankili plant is the first full fledged co-generation plant in Andhra Pradesh, with an installed capacity of 16 MW.
• The plant has 100% DCS controls generating power for both in-house consumption and export to the grid.
• The plant is the first in Andhra Pradesh to undertake full-fledged cane trash procurement and utilisation as fuel in the boilers.
• The plant also has the most modern distillery of 45 KLPD capacity with Molecular Sieve Dehydration system to produce best quality Ethanol and Rectified Spirit.
• Management's commitment towards environmental protection is exhibited through a massive investment of Rs. 6.50 crores on Effluent Treatment Unit, incorporating Reverse Osmosis Technology for the first time in Andhra Pradesh. The plant has also installed an Anaerobic Digester and RCC bio compost yards to achieve `zero' discharge of effluents.
• The plant has been recognised by the Pollution Control Authorities as being a model Effluent Treatment Factory. The Pollution Control Board has also rated it as a benchmark plant for other distilleries to emulate.

• Received SISSTA Awards for 'The Best Cane Development Factory' for the year 2002-03.
• Received the S.V. Parthasarathy Memorial Award from SISSTA for 'The Best Performance Sugar Factory' for the year 2003-04.
• GMR Sankili Sugar plant’s, Sr. Manager (Cane) was awarded the ‘Best Cane Development Officer’ by the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Anakapalli for the year 2002.
• 'Best Organisation' Award for supporting Quality Circle Movement by the Quality Circle Forum India, Hyderabad Chapter.
• The plant's Quality Circles received Excellent Awards at Regional and National Level Competitions.
• First Sugar Factory in Andhra Pradesh to be accredited with 'ISO 9001:2000' in the year 2003.

• Addition of Extra Neutral Alcohol (E.N.A) facility in the distillery to produce 45 KLPD ENA.
• Additional facility for production of Refined Sugar.
• Full Plant Automation.
• Milk Chilling Plant for the benefit of the farmers.
• Bio-fertiliser Plant.
• Implementation of Total Quality Management through various initiatives in the next few years for achieving Business Excellence. Some initiatives include International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) 14000, Safety, Health, Environment (SHE) and Occupational Health & Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS), 5 S and KAIZEN.