After facing the wrath of farmers during the past few months, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD)-BJP government in Punjab has started taking steps to win over ahead of the Assembly polls that are little over a year away.

Giving in to the long-pending demand of cane growers, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday directed the Agriculture Department to immediately allow them to sow CJ-238 as an early sugarcane variety instead of mid-variety.

Sugarcane growers had been asking the government to allow them to sow CJ-238 as early variety for a year till the Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, finalised its trials to arrive at a concrete conclusion in this regard.

The Chief Minister gave this direction after senior Akali leader and former Cabinet Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan met him seeking early resolution of various issues related to the farmers in general and cane growers in particular.

Mr. Badal said the State government had also taken special initiatives to clear the sugarcane arrears due towards the sugar mills expeditiously besides ensuring their smooth functioning.

“Nine sugar mills in the government sector have already made payment to the cane growers worth Rs. 540 crore. Likewise, seven private sugar mills have already released Rs. 988 crore,” he said.

The Chief Minister said the State government would ensure payment of sugarcane price at Rs. 295 per quintal by mills under all circumstances, while reviewing the hardships being faced by the sugarcane growers.

“Mills will pay Rs. 245 per quintal, and the government will pay a subsidy of Rs. 50 per quintal for the current crushing season of 2015-16,” said Mr. Badal.

The State government had recently, also decided to waive guarantee fee of Rs. 4 crore on soft loan to be arranged for private sugar mills to enable them to clear cane dues of farmers.