Punjab Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Sunday announced that a week-long sugarcane crushing work, in all the sugar mills of the State, would commence from November 8 to 15.
“All the sugar mills would be issued directions by the Sugarfed to make proper arrangements during the fixed timeframe and start the crushing work so as to not let the sugarcane farmers encounter any difficulty,” he said.
Randhawa, laying bare the true picture before those protesting on the issue with political ends, said that during the past 10 years of the previous regime, the sugarcane crushing work usually began in mid-December whereas he has ensured its commencement one month in advance.
The Minister asked those protesting that why didn’t they voiced their protests then?
“These protests are politically motivated and have absolutely no connection with the farmers or their interests. Had the protestors been the true well wishers of the farming community, they wouldn’t have been sitting quiet over the course of past 10 years,” he said.
Randhawa said that it was a pro-farmer initiative of the present Punjab Government which has also emerged as the benefactor of the farming sector through its debt relief scheme.
Meanwhile, Sugarfed managing director Davinder Singh said that as per the directions of the Cooperation Minister, the sugarcane crushing work would commence in all the sugar mills from November 8 to 15 and directions are being given to all the mills in this regard.