Sugarcane pricing policy turns bitter for Govt

The new sugarcane pricing policy today led to a stormy start to the Winter Session of Parliament,with Lok Sabha adjourning without transacting any business following opposition uproar over the issue.

As soon as the Lok Sabha assembled for the day and obituary references were made,SP Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and RLD President Ajit Singh led their party members into the well of the House alleging a raw deal to cane growers. This forced Speaker Meira Kumar to adjourn the House till noon.

“Stop the loot of sugarcane growers,” chanted the agitated members in the well,without paying heed to the Speaker’s appeals to return to their seats.

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It was a similar story when the House reassembled as JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav and CPI(M) leader Basudeb Acharia joined the SP and RLD leaders in the well.

The Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day after obituary references were made to two members who died during the inter-session period.

In the Lok Sabha,BJP chief Rajnath Singh and his party colleagues,Sushma Swaraj and Ananth Kumar,were on their toes seeking to raise the problems faced by farmers following the Sugarcane (Control) Order 2009. The party had already announced plans to move an adjournment motion in the House today.

The new sugarcane pricing policy puts financial burden on states,instead of the sugar mills,in case they announce prices higher than the minimum support price

(MSP).