CS directive to clear cane dues within a month

Uttar Pradesh sugar mill owners have been told to clear all dues of cane farmers for the past one year (2015-16) strictly within a month.

Issuing this directive here to the mill owners on Thursday, chief secretary Rahul Bhatnagar said that timely payment to cane farmers was among the priorities of chief minister Aditya Nath Yogi and action would be taken against those who failed to comply with the order.

“Besides payments for the current crushing season 2016-17 within the stipulated 14-day deadline from the date of supply, arrears should also be paid within a month,” Bhatnagar said. Cane commissioner Vipin Kumar Dwivedi informed the CS that over 98% payment to cane farmers had been made by the mill owners for the year 2015-16. “The mill owners have cleared 79.17% dues for 2016-17. However, an amount of Rs 223 crore is still pending and directives have been issued to clear these dues immediately,” he said.

Meanwhile, the chief secretary has asked all additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries, secretaries and departmental heads to submit new schemes and projects (after obtaining the approval of the minister concerned) to the finance department latest by March 25 so that the same may be included in the budget.

He said a presentation of these new schemes and projects was to be made before the chief minister, date for which would be announced later.

Amount of Rs 223 crore is still pending and directives have been issued to clear these dues immediately RAHUL BHATNAGAR, UP chief secy