Chandigarh: Accepting a long-pending demand of sugarcane growers across the state, Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday asked the agriculture department to immediately allow them to sow CJ-238 as early variety. The assurance was given by Badal to former cabinet minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan, who had called on the CM at his residence for seeking his personal and direct intervention.

Cane growers across the state had been demanding to declare CJ-238 as early sown variety. Sekhwan impressed upon the CM to permit the cane growers to sow it for a year till the Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana finalized its trials to arrive at a concrete conclusion in this regard.

Badal said the state government had taken special initiatives to clear the outstanding arrears due towards the sugar mills expeditiously besides ensuring smooth functioning of sugar mills in the state.

He said that the nine sugar mills in the government sector had already made payment to the cane growers worth Rs 540 crore.

Likewise, seven private sugar mills have already released Rs 988 crore and the remaining payment would be made to the farmers on account of clearing their cane arrears shortly by the private mill owners as the state government has already got a loan of Rs 200 crore arranged from the banks by furnishing state guarantee.

The state government would ensure payment of sugarcane at Rs 295 per quintal to farmers by the mills while reviewing the hardships being faced by growers and mills.