Work on to convert sugarcane belts into energy belts: PM Modi in Meerut

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that his government is making efforts to make the sugarcane belts across the country into "energy belts," a reference to the use of ethanol as fuel.

Addressing a poll rally here in the sugarcane belt of Uttar Pradesh, Modi said, "Friends, we don't want to limit the sugarcane crop to sugar and jaggery. We want to make every sugarcane belt of the country into an energy belt."

The PM said that the amount of ethanol produced from sugarcane has gone up in the last 10 years.

"Work is on to manufacture ethanol from sugarcane to be used as fuel for vehicles. Because of this, in the last ten years, around Rs 70,000 crore have been paid to sugarcane farmers," he said.

Modi also hit out at the opposition governments for neglecting the sugarcane farmers and shortchanging former prime minister Chaudhary Charan Singh, a prominent farmer leader.

"The INDI Alliance that hates farmers did not give due respect to Chaudhary Charan Singh. When discussions were being held after Chaudhary Charan Singh was awarded Bharat Ratna, the entire country saw what the INDI Alliance did.

"When our younger brother Jayant Chaudhary was speaking in the parliament, efforts were made to stop his voice. Efforts were made to insult him," Modi said.

Rashtriya Lok Dal president Jayant Chaudhary, who recently joined the National Democratic Alliance, was also present on the dais where Modi spoke.

Jayant is the grandson of Chaudhary Charan Singh.

"The Congress and Samajwadi Party should apologise by visiting each farmer at his house for this," Modi said.

"Not a single person from here can ever forgive Congress and its aides like Samajwadi Party," he added.

Modi said that his government is working along the ideology of Charan Singh, who dedicated his life for the uplifting of farmers.

"You must have not forgotten how sugarcane farmers were harassed. Sugar mills were closed and sold at throwaway prices. Modi stopped this fraud," he said.