'Arrange campfire, tea for suagarcane farmers'

PILIBHIT: All sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh have been directed by the government to compulsorily provide campfire and tea for sugarcane growers waiting at mill yards and procurement centres to protect them from the biting cold this winter. Unit heads of sugar mills have also been directed to create comfortable rest facilities for farmers waiting at the factories for long due to the rush of cane-laden tractor-trolleys.
The order was issued on Tuesday by the additional chief secretary of sugarcane and sugar Sanjay R Bhoosreddy. "Officials concerned have been directed to make sudden inspections to find out if the desired arrangements have been made. They will also interact directly with the farmers to get their feedback and suggestions," Bhoosreddy said. The senior official said the state sugarcane department has also set up a toll-free control room at the state headquarters to address grievances, as well as inquiries, of the farmers. "This control room is equipped with an NComputing system in addition to the intercom and web-based software. The control room will function round the clock, and will also make farmers aware of advanced scientific techniques for sugarcane farming and crop protection," he added.
UP is the largest producer of sugar in the country and, at present, the state has 120 sugar mills.