Mulayam criticises centre for wheat import

Muzzafarnagar, June 30 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today charged the central government with hatching a conspiracy to weaken the farmers.

''Wheat is being imported to fill the central stocks and deprive the farmers a reasonable price to their produce.'' Addressing a public meeting here, Mr Yadav said his regime was committed to serving the interests of farmers and ensuring they got a remunerative price.

The CM assured that his government would not implement Value Added Tax (VAT) in the state.

He exuded confidence that the followers of late prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh were his natural allies. ''That is why, the SP-RLD alliance is gaining strength with time.'' Mr Yadav claimed an increase of 28 per cent in UP revenue collection this fiscal and said his government was committed to serving the interests of all sections of society.

The SP chief said his government took effective steps to ensure the prompt payment for sugarcane to farmers and said all the 28 new sugarmills would start crushing operations soon.

Mr Yadav enumerated schemes like Kanya Vidyadhan Yojna benefitting girl students, unemployment allowance to graduates and post-graduates and adequate provision for supply of power to rural feeders.

The CM underlined that UP stood first in the implementation of the 20-point programme in India and its Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan had been a grand success.

Meanwhile, he announced schemes valued at about Rs 88 crore for development of Muzzafarnagar.

Mr Yadav also announced that a 4,000 Megawatt power plant would be set up in UP at an estimated cost of Rs 16,000 crore.

UNI VS ARB RAI1825