The Hindu : Karnataka News : Yeddyurappa directs sugar units to implement order

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Tuesday, Jul 15, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka

Yeddyurappa directs sugar units to implement order

Special Correspondent

It relates to payment of Rs. 160 more to farmers for a tonne of cane

Chief Minister says farmers are facing difficult times
Sugar units seek Government help to make payment

— Photo: Bhagya Prakash K.

Talking tough: Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa addressing a meeting of sugarcane growers and sugar factory owners in Bangalore on Monday. Shivaraj S. Thangadagi, Minister for Agricultural Marketing and Sugar; S.A. Ravindranath, Minister for Agriculture; and Govind M. Karjol, Minister for Minor Irrigation; are with him.

Bangalore: Sticking to his promise to sugarcane growers on convening a meeting of sugar factory managements to discuss their problems, especially implementing the Government order to pay an additional price of Rs.160 per tonne of sugarcane, Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa on Monday directed factory owners to implement the order.

Addressing a meeting of farmers and sugar unit owners here, Mr. Yeddyurappa told the sugar factories that if they did not implement the order, the Government would have to think of steps aimed at providing succour to farmers.

Mr. Yeddyurappa reminded the factories that it was he as Deputy Chief Minister who gave relief by way of waiver of Rs. 60 in purchase tax, which they had to pass on to growers.

Already, the farmers were facing a difficult time due to scanty rainfall and fall in the water levels in dams.

Promise

He assured the unit owners that he would try to help when he would present the budget.

The Chief Minister spoke again after hearing the farmers’ leaders and sugar unit representatives and took a dig at the latter for obtaining a stay against the order of the Governor, instead of implementing it.

Mr. Yeddyurappa asked if the Government demanded any share when they made profits by selling the byproducts.

He said the Government would not tolerate such a tough posture on the part of the factories towards the farmers.

Mr. Yeddyurappa said he did not want the farmers to be put to any hardships. K.S. Puttannaiah, president, Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha; Kurubur Shantakumar, president, Karnataka Sugarcane Growers Association; Kodihalli Chandrashekhar, farmers’ leader; B.G. Banakar, former Speaker of the Assembly; C. Narasimhappa, former president of the Karnataka Krishik Samaj; B.M. Hanasi, representing north Karnataka growers, and H.R. Basavaraj of Shimoga spoke.

Gurupadappa Nagamarapalli, MLA and former Minister, who is also president of the Naranja Cooperative Sugar Factory; Ishwar Khandre, MLA, and Venkata Reddy, vice-chairman of the Karnataka Sugar Manufacturers’ Association, spoke. The former Minister D.B. Inamdar was present.

Speaking to presspersons on behalf of the cooperative sugar factories, Mr. Nagamarapalli made it clear that they had no money to pay the farmers, but would reimburse the Government if it gave an interest-free soft loan to them. However, the South India Sugar Mills’ Association president Jagadish Gudagundi said private factories were ready to give Rs. 60.

On paying Rs.100, he said the Government had to give it as subsidy to them or it could pay the same directly to farmers.

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