Govt directs industrialists to pay sugarcane farmers in 5 days

Kathmandu / Oct 8: The government on Monday directed the industrialists concerned to pay the entire dues of the sugarcane farmers within five days.

The government issued such directive following the complaints that the sugar mills were yet to clear the dues of the sugarcane sticks to the farmers though the festive season is around.

A meeting of the Ministers for Finance, Agriculture and Livestock Development, Industry and Supplies, Forests and Environment, and General Administration along with the secretaries from different ministries took a decision to this effect, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Chakrapani Khanal said.

Likewise, the government has warned the industrialists of punishment if they fail to dole out the money to the farmers in the slated deadline. Earlier on Sunday, different organizations of the sugarcane farmers had warned to take to the streets after their dues were not cleared for long.

As per the recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture, the government had fixed Rs 536.56 as the price for a quintal of sugarcane to the farmers including 65.28 rupees in grant from the government. However, the farmers are not given the money even after six months of the decision.

The farmers’ representative organizations claim that the sugar mills have to pay Rs 2 billion and Rs 1.28 billion in grant from the government to the farmers.

Meanwhile, the government is working to book the business firms selling sugar in a price dearer than the government’s rate. RSS