Mayawati govt warns defaulting sugarmills

Lucknow, June 29 (UNI) Pledging commitment to payment of sugarcane dues to the farmers in the state, Uttar Pradesh government today warned the sugarmills defaulting on this count.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the state Legislative Council, BJP member Rajkumar Tyagi and others demanded discussion on the issue of non-payment of sugarcane dues amounting to Rs 433.38 crore by 16 sugarmills in Meerut region.

BJP members Raghav Ram Mishra, Prof Ramji Singh, Ram Naresh Rawat and others, besides Mr Munna Singh Chauhan of Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and some SP members spoke on the admissibility of the question.

However, council chairperson Chaudhary Sukhram rejected the adjournment demand on the matter.

House leader Swami Prasad Maurya maintained that the state government was serious on the issue and directives had been issued to the sugarmills to clear the dues of farmers.

He assured that strict action would be taken against defaulting mills by issuing the recovery certificate (RC).

Mr Maurya noted that the state government was committed to the problems of sugarcane growers and a new sugar policy would replace the old one as per the new budget.

UNI