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Increase sugarcane SAP to ₹380 per quintal: Sukhbir
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday demanded increase in the state assured price (SAP) of sugarcane to a minimum of ₹380 per quintal, besides calling for the immediate release of all pending payments due to the cane growers
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday demanded increase in the state assured price (SAP) of sugarcane to a minimum of ₹380 per quintal, besides calling for the immediate release of all pending payments due to the cane growers.
In a statement, the SAD chief also announced that in case the Congress government did not do justice to sugarcane growers, the SAD-BSP alliance will raise the SAP to a minimum of ₹380 per quintal if it forms the government in the state. “We will include this commitment in our election manifesto also,” he added.
“It was shocking that after refusing to increase the SAP for sugarcane for four years, the Punjab government had affected a measly ₹15 per quintal hike towards the fag end of its tenure. This amounts to betraying both the sugarcane growers as well as the cause of diversification,” said Sukhbir.
Asserting that chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh was impervious to the suffering of the sugarcane growers, Sukhbir demanded that all dues should be cleared along with the interest quotient. He said as per the Sugarcane Control Order and Clause 3 (3) of the Sugarcane Purchase and Regulation Act, sugar mills must make payments within 14 days of the purchase or else pay interest on the pending amount. “This Act should be implemented in letter and spirit,” he said.
