Centre urged to release additional sugar for festival season

Mumbai, Sep 12 (UNI) Former MLC Kanhaiyalal Gidwani today urged the Centre to release additional five lakh metric tonnes of sugar under the free sale quota in view of the festival season.

In a letter to the Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister, Mr Gidwani said during the Ganesh festival, Dassera, Diwali, Christmas and Id, there is an extra demand for sugar and, hence, additional five lakh metric tonnes of sugar should be released.

Mr Gidwani, while speaking to reporters here today, however, regretted that his request had not been heeded so far. Prices of sugar in the open market have risen and have burdened the common man, he said.

Mr Gidwani rued that although on one hand there was excess stock of sugar and lack of storage, yet the government was not releasing additional quota, thereby allowing prices to rise in the market.

''The Centre has all the means to control the situation by taking timely decisions,'' Mr Gidwani observed while adding that in the interest of the common man, the Centre must immediately release five lakh MT of additional sugar for the months September to December.

UNI