CM asks PM for Rs 500 cr to pay sugarcane farmers

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 26

Chief Minister Harish Rawat has sought prompt redress of the concerns of farmers of Uttarakhand.

In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister has informed him about the problems being faced by sugarcane farmers in the state. He requested him for a special package of Rs 500 crore to the state to solve the problems of sugarcane farmers.

The Chief Minister said sugar mills were in a pitiable condition as the cost of producing a bag of sugar was quite high in comparison to the price at which it was being sold in the market. Due to this, the sugarcane farmers were not being paid on time.

He said the sugar mills had crushed 271.58 lakh quintals of sugarcane until March 7, 2015. Of the Rs 752.58 crore arrears of the sugarcane farmers, the mills had paid only Rs 263.54 crore. The Chief Minister said the sugar mills were not in a position to pay for sugarcane purchased from farmers.

By the end of the crushing season, the sugar mills in the state would have dues of Rs 500 crore to pay. Due to the bad financial condition of the sugar mills, they could not even carry out repairs and maintenance work in the current crushing season.

Thus it is evident that the sugar mills would not be able to clear their debts on time thus infuriating farmers who could create a law and order situation. Hence, he has appealed to the Prime Minister to grant a special package of Rs 500 crore to the state for the welfare of sugarcane farmers.

In another letter to the Prime Minister, Harish Rawat has sought a plan to revive HMT Watch factory in Uttarakhand with the help of the Union Ministry of Heavy industries.

He said the HMT Watch factory was established in 1985 to provide employment to local youths. It was the first major public sector unit in the hill area but it could not sustain itself due to funds constraints.