The issue of non-payment of cane dues rocked the state assembly on Tuesday with opposition questioning Government’s intention in clearing cane dues with farmers facing the brunt because of non-payment of their arrears. The BJP, Congress and the RlD members staged a noisy walk out saying Government was hand in glove with mill owners. The Opposition demanded that instead of arresting managers of the mills the owners of the factory should be put behind bar for non-payment of cane dues. The issue was raised through an adjournment notice moved by Congress member Pradeep Mathur and BJP member laxmikant Bajpai during the Zero Hour.
“The arrear is to the tune of Rs 3200 crore. The farmers are finding it hard to make their both end meet. They are forced to take loans from the private money lenders because the farmers are yet to get the dues for their produce,” Mathur said. Pankaj Mallik (Congress) said Government gives subsidy to sugar mills to clear farmers’ dues. This subsidy should be given directly to the farmers.
The cane price is pegged at Rs 280 per quintal for general variety. Of this mills pay Rs 240 and the rest is given as subsidy to the mills. BJP member laxmikant Bajpai said that the cane growers were yet to get Rs 6390 crore to be paid by the sugar mills out of their total cane dues of Rs 11,00 crore. This also includes last year’s arrear, he said. Bajpai suggested that Recovery Certificates (RCs) should be issued against the owners of the mills not against the managers. If Government starts arresting owners the mills will clear dues in no time. His demand was also supported by RlD leader Dalbeer Singh who too said that action should be taken against the owners of the sugar mills.
In his brief reply, state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Azam Khan said the government was committed to ensure full payment of the cane dues. Our hands are tied as some of the mills have got stay from the High Court. Still government is trying its best to clear all dues,” the minister said. Not satisfied with the Government response BJP, Congress and RlD staged a walkout from the House. Thereafter, Speaker Mata Prasad Pandey also rejected the adjournment notice.