The Uttar Pradesh government has introduced a sugarcane research information system to enable farmers to stay abreast of latest developments in sugarcane research.
State minister (independent charge) for sugarcane development and sugar industry Suresh Rana on Tuesday said the government had sent SMS messages to 65,000 farmers in the state using the research information system developed by the UP Council of Sugarcane Research, Shahjahanpur.
The total cane cultivable area in UP is 22.99 lakh hectares.
The government has also decided to open a joint account of sugar mill owners and UP cane department from which payments would be made to farmers from the next crushing season. “We have decided to implement an existing provision that wasn’t monitored earlier,” Rana said.
He added a committee comprising the chief secretary and cane commissioner was looking into the issue of fixing the state advisory price (SAP) for the crushing season.
The government has already introduced a toll-free number (1800-121-3203) to help farmers register their complaints registered with top officials who say about 120 sugar mills could be made functional by November 15.
Rana said the government had paid Rs 24,252 crore as compensation so far.