Blaming Centre for the sugarcane price row, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said that had UPA Government taken effective steps to stop import of raw sugar in the country situation had not been that grim.
"The cane farmers all over the country are angry with the Union Government over its anti-farmer policy. The farmers are staging protest not only in Uttar Pradesh but also in Karnataka and Maharashtra. This is because Centre allowed import of raw sugar pushing the sugar mills to the wall. The sugar available in the market is raw imported sugar," Yadav said during zero hour in Vidhan sabha on Tuesday.
He said that there was pressure on the state government to ask mills to start operation. But at the same time we will have to look at the viability of mills too. As the price of sugar has not increased in open market the mills have shown their inability to start crushing. "We have to look into all the aspect. Still we forced the sugar mills to start operation and pay Rs 280 per quintal to the farmers as cane price. We cannot allow farmers to suffer therefore we took the decision in favour of farmers. The Government is committed to clear the cane dues of the farmers," Chief Minister said.
Hitting out at Bahujan Samaj party he said that the last Government had sold 21 sugar mills while the Mulayam Singh Yadav Government had to invited private entrepreneurs to set up 32 sugar mills. "This shows the change in thinking and policy. The SP believes in inviting private investors to set up mills in UP, the BSP believed in selling these mills at a throwaway price," Chief Minister said.
The issue was raised during the zero hour by the opposition parties who questioned as why the state Government did not increase the cane price when the prices of fertilsers, seeds and diesel showed an increase of over 20 per cent as compared to last year. leaders after leaders berated the Government and called it anti-farmer.
Hukum Singh (BJP) said that because of delay in announcing cane price the farmers were not able to sow rabi crop. In their hurry to clear their fields for next crop farmers in western UP have sold their produce at throwaway price. leader of Opposition Swamy Prasad Maurya talked about shortage of fodder and demanded cane price at Rs 300 per quintal. When Government refused to increase the cane price, BSP staged a walkout.