After its opposition to foreign direct investment in retail, the Akhilesh Yadav-headed Samajwadi Party government is now against the proposed move to decontrol the sugar sector.

UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav communicated to the expert committee on proposed sugar decontrol that deregulation is not proper in view of “people’s interest”, “farmers’ interest” and “law and order”.

The expert committee headed by the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council Chairman C Rangarajan met Yadav here on Saturday. The committee was constituted in January by the Prime Minister to examine issues related to decontrol of the sugar sector.

Yadav told the committee that decontrol of sugar industry might lead to gradual end of the existence of cooperative sugarcane societies which play an important role in ensuring the supplies of sugarcane.

He also told the committee about the additional role played by the sugarcane cooperative societies in the distribution of fertilizers, seeds, pesticides and agriculture tools among sugarcane farmers.

Yadav also told the committee that that decontrol would affect the arrangements the state government has in place to ensure that benefits reach the farmers.

The UP Sugar Mills Association advocated direct linkage with farmers and doing away with the cane societies.