New Delhi: Many sugar mills in India failed to clear sugarcane arrears. Following which cane growers across the country have intensified their protest. Now, Centre has come into an action mode against the mills.
Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan warned sugar mills to face action in case of non-payment of sugarcane dues.
Paswan said in the Lok Sabha, “In the current season, there was an outstanding of Rs 85,355 crore, of which Rs 67,706 crore has already been paid to the farmers. We have been trying to ensure that by the end of the year, most of the outstanding is cleared”
“If sugar mills fail to clear dues, then state governments have full power to take action against them and put behind bars,” Paswan further added.
The government had introduced various measures, including a soft loan scheme, hike in the minimum selling price of sugar and others to help sugar mills clear mounting cane arrears. But, millers failed to clear it, citing surplus sugar and depressed sugar prices.
