The Hindu : Dharna in Council over dues to cane growers

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 31, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Dharna in Council over dues to cane growers

By Our Staff Reporter

Bangalore Dec. 30. The members of the JD(U) today staged a dharna in the Legislative Council demanding immediate payment of arrears to the tune of Rs. 130 crore to sugarcane growers to save them from further financial distress.

The party members, led by Basavaraj Horatti, along with Alkod Hanumanthappa of the JD(S), entered the well of the House when the Minister for Animal Husbandry and Sugar, M. Mahadev, said that he could give an assurance on the matter only after studying the relief granted by the Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh governments to sugarcane farmers.

The minister, who was replying to a question from P. Ramiah (nominated member) during Question Hour, said he had advised sugar factories to take up cogeneration and production of ethanol to augment their revenues.

He said the State had a huge stock of sugar worth Rs. 1,100 crore, and the Union Government had been requested to give permission for the release of sugar in the market in instalments, which would help factories pay arrears. The State Government had not taken against factories as it had stood guarantee to them. However, it they failed to pay arrears to farmers, it would consider making the payments. It would account for the sum as revenue dues recovered from factories, he added.

Sachidanand Khoth, Hanumanthappa, M.P. Nada Gowda, R.S. Patil (Congress), and others appealed to the minister to provide immediate relief to farmers, as farmers were selling sugarcane to Maharashtra. They said the Government had not taken any steps to alleviate their sufferings.

Supporting his colleague, the Social Welfare Minister, A. Krishnappa, who earlier held the portfolio of Sugar, said that when the Congress came to power, the arrears to farmers were Rs. 730 crore. These had now been brought down to Rs. 62 crore, excluding the current year's payment, thanks to the efforts made by the Government, he added.

The members who were staging a dharna did not heed to the request of the Chairman of the House, B.L. Shankar, to return to their seats. Mr. Shankar said that the members could not demand a reply to their satisfaction during Question Hour. He directed Mr. Mahadev to convene a meeting of members in his chambers and solve the problem.

The minister said he had no hesitation in convening the meeting. However, he would have to study the financial implications of clearing the dues and the relief extended by other States to sugarcane growers.

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