BJP ignored the plight of Uttar Pradesh’s sugar industry: Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi. The Congress on Wednesday raised the issue of the plight of sugarcane farmers in the backdrop of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s public meeting in Basti, Uttar Pradesh, and alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party has ignored the plight of the sugar industry. Prime Minister Modi addressed an election rally in Basti on Wednesday. Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh posted on ‘X’, “Why is the infant mortality rate in Shravasti the highest in Uttar Pradesh? Why are 189 primary schools of the colony in dangerous and dilapidated condition? Why has BJP neglected the sugarcane farmers and sugar mills of Basti? He said, “Uttar Pradesh is the largest sugarcane producing state of India. At one time there were four sugar mills in Basti, Rudhauli Athdama Bajaj Hindustan Sugar Mill, Basti Sugar Mill, Mundrao Sugar Mill and Kaptanganj Sugar Mill. Yet, the BJP government has ignored farmers’ persistent demand to increase the price of sugarcane.” Ramesh claimed, ”The prices in Uttar Pradesh are only Rs 360 per quintal, which is Rs 386 per quintal in Punjab and Rs 386 per quintal in Haryana. Much less than Rs 391 per quintal. The price increase that has taken place is also very low as per inflation. He said, “Farmers are now struggling due to the rising cost of fertilizers and pesticides. The area under cultivation has also reduced by about 4,000 hectares in the last three years, which is now causing problems for the sugar mills.