UP: Yogi Govt makes record payment of Rs 2.14 lakh cr to sugarcane farmers in 6 years

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 27 (ANI): The Uttar Pradesh government headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has made a record payment of Rs 2.14 lakh crore to sugarcane farmers in the last 6 years, informed an official statement.
According to the statement, the Yogi Government has also opened two new mills, reopened four closed ones and expanded 30 mills to empower sugarcane farmers during the period.
Soon after taking the reins of Uttar Pradesh, CM Yogi chalked out a strategy, according to top priority to the interests of sugarcane farmers and focusing on sugarcane crushing, production and processing, the statement said.
"The Yogi government first restarted the closed sugar mills in the state and focused on paying the overdue sugarcane price to the farmers. The state government's consistent efforts helped the sugar mills run more efficiently, increasing the amount of sugar produced.
On the instructions of CM Yogi, farmers are receiving payments regularly on a priority basis. The government's focus is also on increasing the per-hectare productivity of sugarcane.
"It is worth mentioning that owing to the Yogi Govt's policies that sugar production in Uttar Pradesh increased from 72.38 metric tonnes in the year 2016-17 to 82.31 metric tonnes per hectare today. The production of sugarcane has increased by 9.93 metric tonnes per hectare in the last 6 years. With this, sugarcane farmers are getting an additional profit of Rs 34,656 at the rate of Rs 349 per quintal per hectare", the statement read.
With the efforts of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, 120 sugar mills are operating today in Uttar Pradesh, the release stated, adding that in the year 2021-22, 1,016.26 lakh tonnes of sugarcane was crushed by these sugar mills from which 101.98 lakh tonnes of sugar was produced. In 2022-23 so far, 1,098.31 lakh tonnes of sugarcane has been crushed, producing 105.41 lakh tonnes of sugar.
In the last 6 years, a record 6,403 lakh tonnes of sugarcane was crushed by the sugar mills, producing a record 683.07 lakh tonnes of sugar. Not only this, two new sugar mills were established in the state and the capacity of 30 sugar mills was expanded with the restarting of 4 sugar mills, which created a total additional crushing capacity of 78,900 TCD in sugar mills, the release added.
The statement further said, "The Yogi government implemented an online Khandsari licensing system in UP after making amendments to the Khandsari policy. As a result, 284 new Khandsari units were established in UP, due to which direct and indirect employment was provided to 31,690 people. The State Government has also made a record for the production of ethanol in the country. The production of ethanol in Uttar Pradesh increased from 42.07 crore litres in the year 2016-17 to 160 crore litres today."
As per the intention of CM Yogi, the sugarcane department employed women to make them self-reliant, the release said.
"The department engaged rural women in sugarcane seed production and distribution during the COVID-19 pandemic. At present, 3,196 women self-help groups are active with 60,000 rural women entrepreneurs earning their livelihood by producing sugarcane saplings. So far, 38 crore sugarcane saplings/ seedlings have been produced by women's self-help groups and have earned Rs 102 crores from its distribution. Women's self-help groups have played a leading role in adding more varieties of sugarcane and its seeds over the years", the release added. (ANI)