Sugarcane farmers to stage protest in UP capital on July 15

Sugarcane farmers of Uttar Pradesh will be staging a protest in Lucknow on July 15 over pending payments from mills, a farmer leader said on Monday.

Convenor of the Rashtriya Kisan Majdoor Sangathan V M Singh told reporters that sugar mills in the state are yet to pay Rs 11,000 crore to sugarcane farmers. He also said, ''Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the 2017 UP assembly elections had said payment to sugarcane farmers will be done in 14 days, or interest will be given if the amount is not paid on time.'' ''But, this is yet to be implemented,'' Singh said.

Farmers had protested on this issue till July 12, but it made no difference to the government, he said.

''Now, thousands of farmers will stage a protest in Lucknow on July 15,'' Singh said.