Bhupinder Hooda urges Haryana govt to hike cane SAP
Chandigarh, January 18
Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda today demanded an increase in the rate of sugarcane prices in the state without any further delay. He said the demand of the farmers agitating for hike in SAP (state advisory price) for sugarcane was completely justified. A delegation of farmers met Hooda today in this regard.
Hooda said the Congress stood completely with the farmers. “The demand of the sugarcane farmers was also raised by the party in the Assembly. The sugarcane season is coming to an end, but till now the rate has not been increased by a single penny by the government,” he said.
Citing statistics, Hooda said the increase in the rate of sugarcane in over eight years of the BJP rule and the BJP-JJP government was insufficient, more so when seen in the context of increasing input prices.
“The Congress government in the state increased SAP from Rs 117 to Rs 310 during its rule. During the Congress tenure, there was a 165% increase in the rate of sugarcane, but the BJP increased only 17%,” he said.
“The surprising thing is that this year the government did not increase the rate by a single penny. Because of these excesses, the farmers have to agitate again and again,” he stated.
Hooda has also supported the sarpanches protesting against e-tendering. “The government is destroying the democratic system by taking away the right of the elected sarpanches to get the development work done in the villages. E-tendering system is a means of depriving the village of development and centralisation of corruption,” he said.
“No one accepts the government’s statement that e-tendering will reduce corruption,” he added.
