BJP, RLD members stage walkout from UP assembly

Lucknow, Nov 19: Opposition BJP and RLD leaders today staged a walkout from the Uttar Pradesh assembly over the government's apathy in providing cane dues to the farmers. The matter was taken up during the question hour by BJP member Suresh Rana, who sought to know the sugarcane dues on the government and private sugar mills.

Responding to the query, the state sugarcane minister Ram Karan Arya said that there ware no dues on corporation and cooperative sugar mills and Rs 1750.43 crore dues was pending on private mills for 2013-14 crushing season. He also claimed that 92.09 per cent payement of cane dues was made in 2013-14 and government was committed to ensure the payement to farmers.

However, BJP legislative party leader Suresh Kumar Khanna alleged that Rs 413 crores cane dues were pending on 11 sugar mills of Bajaj and Rs 407 crore on seven sugar mills of Mawana group.

"We have already declared cane price of Rs 290/quintal of superior, Rs 280 for medium and Rs 275 for inferior quality of sugarcanes. There is no point reconsidering it", Arya said, in response to another query on the issue. Pointing at the BJP members, the minister added that the centre should ban import of raw sugar as it was effecting local sugar mills. The opposition and RLD member Dalvir Singh alleged that the ruling Samajwadi government was not taking strict action against private sugar mills and sought to know how many arrests have been made for non-payement of cane dues. Disappointed with the response of the minister, both the parties staged a walkout from the assembly.

PTI