Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Main bhi chowkidaar campaign’ on Sunday drew more ridicule from Congress with the party leader and AICC General secretary in-charge for Uttar Pradesh (east) Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, saying ‘Chowkidars’ only serve the rich, are not concerned about poor.
In a post on social media, Gandhi Vadra said, ”Sugarcane farmers toil day and night. But the Uttar Pradesh government does not even take responsibility for payment of their dues. Pending dues of farmers to the tune of Rs 10,000 crore means that the education of their children, meeting of their food and health needs and their next crop all come to a standstill. These ‘Chowkidars’ only serve the rich. They are not concerned about the poor,” she added.
Reports say that according to data compiled by the Cane Commissioner’s Office in Lucknow, as on March 22, the state’s sugar mills have bought cane worth Rs.24,888.65 crore during the current 2018-19 crushing season (October-September) at the state government’s fixed (“advised”) price of Rs.315 per quintal for normal and Rs 325 per quintal for early-maturing varieties.
The reports said that they were to pay Rs 22,175.21 crore within the stipulated 14-day period of taking cane delivery. But the actual payments have been only Rs 12,339.04 crore, translating into arrears of Rs 9,836.17 crore. Adding the dues of Rs 238.81 crore from the previous 2017-18 season takes the total to Rs 10,074.98 crore.
Of the Rs 10,074.98 crore, over 45 per cent is due from mills in Meerut, Baghpat, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor and Saharanpur, where voting is to be held on April 11. (UNI)
