Around 90 per cent of cane dues amounting to Rs 22,807 crore was given to sugarcane growers till July 14 during the crushing season 2016-17, the Uttar Pradesh government said on Wednesday. "Out of the total outstanding cane dues of Rs 25,836.46 crore for crushing season 2016-17, a payment of Rs 22,807.53 crore was made to cane growers till July 14. This is 89.84 per cent of the total dues," state Sugarcane Minister Suresh Rana said.
He was replying to a question raised by Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu in state assembly. The minister said sugar mills had paid Rs 14,007.48 crore to farmers during the corresponding period last year. He said the cane area of the state had increased by two lakh hectare due to the "faith reposed by farmers on Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath". Replying to another question, Rana claimed that 21 sugar mills were sold during the previous (BSP) regime at "throwaway prices". The comments triggered a heated debate between BSP members and the minister. "A CAG report had also shown the anomaly. We will take account of the corruption and no one will be spared," the minister said in response to a question raised by BSP MLA Uma Shankar Singh.