Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has demanded the State’s quota of 41,000 metric tones of levy sugar from the Centre under the Public Distribution System(PDS).
In a letter written to the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Mr. Chauhan also asked the Centre to import more sugar in order to make sugar available at affordable prices.
Mr. Chauhan has complained that the Centre is yet to provide the State’s quota of sugar, which fulfills only 1/3rd of the State’s consumer demands, from sugar mills of Maharashtra even after repeated reminders. This, he said, has adversely affected availability and led to the steep rise in sugar prices in the State.
Mr. Chauhan said that while the State government has done more than its bit by implementing the M.P. Sugar Traders License Control Act, 2009 and initiating a massive crackdown on hoarders seizing over 56,000 quintals of sugar worth Rs.17 crore, the Central government has not fulfilled its responsibility of providing the State with its quota of levy sugar.
