Survey underway to weed out `cane mafia` in UP

"The cane mafia register themselves as cane farmers and during the crushing season, buy the crop from small farmers at cheaper rates and pass on the same to the sugar mills at the government ascertained rates, which are much higher," a senior cane department official told Business Standard.

Last year, a similar survey had identified 2.75 lakh sugarcane mafia and fake sugarcane farmers in the state. The survey jointly conducted by the UP government and state sugar mills, started on May 1 and will continue till June 20. Almost 7,000 strong personnel of the sugarcane department and private sugar mills are engaged in the massive survey work.

There are an estimated 40 lakh sugarcane farmers in UP and total requirement of all the sugar mills operating in the state is pegged at 80 million tonnes. The survey also ensures that the sugar mills in UP are assured of regular sugarcane supply during crushing season while any hitch. The survey data is also required to be ratified by the respective