With the state set to witness a good cane crushing season in the coming year, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis says that every effort will be made to ensure that not a single factory in state remains idle and every mill in the state becomes...With the state set to witness a good cane crushing season in the coming year, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis says that every effort will be made to ensure that not a single factory in state remains idle and every mill in the state becomes part of the crushing operations. The CM said that a high level meeting will be held in Mumbai next week which will be attended by key industry people to find ways to resolve difficulties faced by the sector. “There is a perception among several people that this government is not sympathetic to the needs of the sugar sector,” he said, in criticism to those who have been pointing out that the BJP government is not very keen to promote this sector.

Speaking at a sugar meet held at the Vasantdada Sugar Institute, (VSI) at Manjari, Pune on Monday, Fadnavis said that this government has been taking maximum efforts in terms of giving financial packages for the sugar sector, addressing taxation issues, standing behind the industry on policy issues. “There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that this government is firmly behind the sugar industry. Uttar Pradesh may become the leading producer this season but in terms of Fair and Remunerative Price ( FRP) Payments, Maharashtra has been in a leading position having made 98% cane payments to farmers while mills in UP have made 60% payments,” he said.