Uttarakhand sets up committee for deciding sugarcane SAP, to announce price in a week

The Uttarakhand government on Thursday said it has set up advisory committee for deciding state advisory price (SAP) of sugarcane for the ongoing crushing season, and will announce the price within a week.

SAP for sugarcane will be announced as soon as the panel submit its report, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Kaushik said in the Assembly while replying to Congress members who raised the issue.

"The committee to ascertain thestate advisory price of sugarcane has already been set up and it will be announced as soon as its report is submitted," he said.

When the opposition demanded that a timeframe be declared for announcing SAP, Kaushik said if the advisory committee set up for the purpose submits its report today, SAP will be announced tomorrow.

It will be announced in a week at the most, he said.

Kaushik also dismissed the concern of Congress member Kazi Nizamuddin that the fair and remunerative price (FRP) announced by the Centre and the hike in recovery rate of sugarcane may cause losses to farmers.

"We will make payment to farmers on the basis of SAP , not on the FRP announced by the Centre. We will also ensure that the increase in recovery rate does not affect the sugarcane growers in the state," Kaushik said.

He said the government is taking steps to pay arrears of Rs 58 crore to sugarcane growers soon.