Mukerian, November 13: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the SAD-BSP alliance was committed to safeguard interests of the farming community. Once the alliance came to power it would pass an Act making it mandatory for sugar mills to pay sugarcane growers their dues within the stipulated timeframe.
The SAD president, who addressed public meetings at several places in the constituency, said he had received widespread complaints that sugar mills were not paying farmers their dues for as long as one year.
“This is not acceptable,” Badal said while adding that the new Act would have a provision registering cognisable offence against mill owners not paying dues to farmers within three months of crushing their produce.
Badal also asked CM Charanjit Channi to ensure that sugarcane growers received the state assured price (SAP) of Rs360 per quintal notified by the government. Badal said despite the announcement of the SAP, sugar mills were not buying sugarcane crop at this price.
Badal assured that once the SAD-BSP government was formed the scourge of illegal mining would be wiped out from the state and sand would be made available at low rates.He announced that students would be entitled to a loan provided by the state. Government schoolchildren would be assured 33 per cent reservation in professional colleges, said Badal.
“We will also ensure that industrial units reserve 75 per cent of jobs for Punjabis,” Badal added. — TNS
The above news was originally posted on www.tribuneindia.com
