Chandigarh, September 1
The state government-owned today released Rs90 crore for sugarcane growers for their dues pending with nine cooperative sugar mills.
Sources say the government was under pressure by various farmer bodies and the Opposition parties.
The Congress had taken over the SAD-BJP government on the issue concerning thousands of cane growers. It had held dharnas and protests against the non-payment of dues to cane growers for the past about eight months.
On the other hand, what apparently put the government into a tizzy and forced Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to intervene and get the dues released was brewing up of anger among the farming community.
Farmer organizations — Kisan Sangharash Committee and Pagri Sambhal Jatta — had threatened to organise a massive protest involving over one lakh farmers in Jalandhar tomorrow and block traffic on the Jalandhar-Phagwara stretch of the national highway near Dakoha.
Even after the announcement, the farmer leaders, who are skeptical about the actual payment of dues, demanded that an officer of the level of Cane Commissioner, Punjab, should give an assurance to them at the dharna venue in Jalandhar tomorrow.
The government is learnt to have reached an understanding with office-bearers of farmer bodies, allowing them to hold a “symbolic protest” tomorrow on the condition that they would block only one side of the highway near Dakoha.
Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said against the arrears of Rs540 crore due towards cooperative sugar mills, Rs210 crore and Rs240 crore had already been paid by the cooperative sugar mills and the government, respectively. The second and final installment of Rs90 crore was released today, clearing all arrears of the farmers due towards the state cooperative mills.
On the CM’s directions, a high-level committee of senior officers, headed by Chief Secretary Sarvesh Kaushal, today met here to thoroughly examine all aspects related to non-payment of dues to the cane growers by private sugar mills, besides finding out ways and means to ensure a smooth crushing season. Officers have been directed to submit a detailed report on the matter within a week.