The opposition Congress staged a walkout from the assembly on the issue of the dues of sugarcane farmers and sugarcane prices on Friday. The Congress members were not satisfied with the reply of parliamentary affairs minister Madan Kaushik and staged a walk out from the assembly. The Manglaur MLA, Qazi Nizamuddin even became emotional while raising the plight of sugarcane farmers. Raising the issue under rule 58, he said that the prices of sugarcane have remained stagnant for the last four years due which lakhs of sugarcane farmers are facing many problems. In his reply the parliamentary affairs minister Madan Kaushik said that the sugarcane farmers of the state are getting better prices for their produce as compared to the other states. He said that a provision of Rs 245 crore is made in the budget for the farmers. The minister said that in the year 2019-20, Rs 327 per quintal for early variety and Rs 317 per quintal for common variety of sugarcane were paid to the farmers. He claimed that sugarcane prices are Rs two per quintal more for early variety and Rs 12 per quintal more for common variety as compared to Uttar Pradesh (UP). He also gave data of some other states to prove that the sugarcane prices are better in Uttarakhand. The minister further averred that all dues of sugarcane farmers have been cleared in Uttarakhand.
Earlier in the day, the deputy leader of Congress legislature party Karan Mahra raised the issue of alleged corruption and irregularities in the Cricket Association of Uttarakhand (CAU) in the House. Accusing the CAU authorities of ‘nepotism and favoritism in selection of players for the team, he alleged that undeserving players were selected. The Ranikhet MLA also alleged that norms are openly being flouted by the office bearers of CAU. He said that a person is holding a key post in the CAU for three successive terms which is not permissible in the rules of CAU.
Mahra said that even though the CAU is an autonomous body it cannot be permitted to flout the set norms and leave out deserving players in any team. He gave the example of a female player who was adjudged best bowler in under-21 tournament at national level but was rejected in the trials. The Congress MLA demanded a probe in the whole issue. In his reply the sports minister Arvind Pandey said that the truth in the whole issue would be brought out.
Saturday, 06 March 2021 | PNS | Bharadisain
