CPI (M) slams Govt for bringing sugarcane ordinance on the eve of new Parliament session

New Delhi, Nov. 18 (ANI): CPI (M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury on Wednesday questioned the UPA Government's intention on bringing the ordinance on sugarcane pricing on the eve of the Winter Session of the Parliament.

"The fact of the matter is that the ordinance that the government has brought, has also brought on the eve of the Parliament. Both our parties have always said that on the eve of the Parliament do not bring in ordinances. Let the Parliament discuss and legislate," Yechury told reporters.

"The price that has been fixed in the ordinance is less than what the sugarcane growers are already getting in some parts of the country. So all this could have been discussed in the Parliament," Yechury added.

The sugarcane farmers are now caught in the crossfire between the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) fixed by the Union Government and the State Advised Price (SAP) mechanism formulated by the Uttar Pradesh state government.

The FRP price is 129.85 rupees per quintal, while the UP government had set the sugarcane SAP at 165 rupees.

Farmers, however, are demanding a price of 280 rupees per quintal of cane.

According to the ordinance, if a state government fixes SAP higher than FRP, it will have to pay the difference.

Yechuri also said that the Cenre and the UP Government should have mutually reached a decision.

"The Central government could have talked to the state governments and together they could have taken the decision, which did not happen," said Yechury.

Parliament withholds its winter session on Thursday. (ANI)