Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Wednesday issued a stern warning to government officials against any delay in the clearance of dues to the sugarcane farmers.

Any delay in clearing arrears of the sugarcane farmers will not be tolerated, warned the chief minister, while directing officials to ensure timely payments to farmers by the sugar mill owners.

The officials should ensure that mill owners make full payment to sugarcane farmers by August, Adityanath said, addressing a review meeting of the Sugar Industry and Cane Development Department.

The chief minister also mooted the idea of creating a separate fund to provide financial support to the farmers.

A separate fund could be created to be used for welfare of the sugarcane farmers and provide them other facilities, said the chief minister.

With this fund, facilities such as toilets, restrooms, drinking water etc could be provided to farmers, he added.

Adityanath pointed out that a sum of Rs 68,828 crore has already been paid to the cane growers in the last two years.

Keeping in view the delay in the payment process, the chief minister strictly instructed officials that all dues of cane growers should be paid in installments by August.

He said local youths could be involved in the sugarcane juice business and they could be provided loan under the PM Mudra Yojna.

The chief minister also instructed officials to ensure an increase in the production capacity of the sugar mills.