AGRA: The long pending demand of sugarcane farmers of Agra division for reopening of the only sugar mill in Mathura district, is likely to be fulfilled soon, as MLA from the constituency Laxmi Narayan Chaudhary has become the minister for sugarcane development and sugar mills in the newly formed Yogi Adityanath’s cabinet.
Last year chief minister Yogi Adityanath had also announced reopening of the sugar mill before elections and had allocated a budget of Rs 5 crore for the same.
Chaudhary said, “We will conduct meetings in this regard and initiate the process of reopening the mill soon.” He added that his priority is that sugarcane farmers get the appropriate price at the right time. Farmers who have been protesting for reopening of the sugar mill for long said that the government had made similar promises in 2017 too but nothing had happened during its five years tenure.
“This time the local MLA has been given charge of the sugarcane development and mills so there is a possibility of its reopening. But if it does not happen, we will hold a massive protest before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections,” said Thakur Chandrapal Singh, president of Bhartiya Kisan Union, Chhata.
He added that they will also oppose if the government tries to reopen it on the Public Private partnership model.
Another farmer leader in Chhata and vice president of Mathura Ganna Samiti, Thakur Murari Singh said that 50,000 farmers are associated with the samiti and everyone is hopeful of reopening of the mill as it will generate employment and people will not have to migrate from the district in search for jobs.
Another farmer leader in Chhata and vice president of Mathura Ganna Samiti, Thakur Murari Singh said that 50,000 farmers are associated with the samiti and everyone is hopeful of reopening of the mill as it will generate employment and people will not have to migrate from the district in search for jobs.
The only sugar mill in Agra division which has a capacity of 1,250 tonnes crushing per day was shut in 2008 during the BSP regime.
The mill is located in an area of 100 acres on NH-2 and was set up by the then MLA Babu Tejpal Singh in 1978.
The above news was originally posted on timesofindia.indiatimes.com
