Taking a serious note of the pending arrears of farmers, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has ordered stringent action against private sugar mills for not releasing the cane dues.
He said any attempt to ignore the interests of cane growers in the state would not be allowed at any cost.
“There is need for prompt redressal of the problems faced by farmers at all levels. The erring officers will not be spared at any cost,” the Chief Minister said in a statement issued here on Monday after a meeting with a delegation of cane farmers.
The Chief Minister said that sugarcane being a cash crop, the state Government was trying to increase its production in UP and so efforts were on to solve the problems faced by cane growers on priority basis.
“Directives have been issued to sugar mill owners to make immediate payment of cane they purchase and the arrears so that farmers do not face any inconvenience,” Yadav said and added: “Stern action will be taken against sugar mills that do not make the payments.”
A government spokesman said that in accordance with the directive of the Chief Minister, recovery certificates of Rs 144852.62 lakh had been issued against 13 sugar mills.
The spokesman said that the state Government was committed to safeguarding the interests of sugarcane growers in the state and in the past 31 FIRs had been lodged against private sugar mill owners and officials and action was being taken on them.After the probe in these cases, action would be initiated against the mills as per rules, the spokesman pointed out.