In the midst of the campaign for the Assembly polls in Punjab, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief ministerial candidate, Bhagwant Mann put in an appearance in the Lok Sabha and raised the issue of sugarcane rates and timely payment of dues to the farmers.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour in Lok Sabha, Mr. Mann said that “According to the Sugar Act of 1966, sugar mills are expected to pay farmers within 14 days of buying their produce. If they don’t, they are required to pay interest on that payment. But in 2020, 2021-22, the fixed rate was ₹360 per quintal, the mills were buying for ₹335 per quintal and the ₹35 gap had to be given by the government. This ₹35 bonus is not being paid out. In Sangrur, we have arrears due to farmers of ₹1.25 crores from last year and ₹20 crore from this year. Sugarcane is an annual crop, so the loss is considerable. I also want to raise the compensation due to families of 743 farmers who lost their lives in the farmers protest”.
