NEW DELHI: The government has "forewarned" sugar mills from pushing up prices of the sweetener artificially and it has told industry representatives it would not hesitate to take steps to keep rates under check. The retail prices of loose sugar has increased by Rs 8 per kg in the past one year and by at least Rs 2 a kg in the past one month. Increase in prices of sugar has become a matter of concern for the government just before the state polls in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.