LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh has 28 lakh tonne of sugar in stock, enough to meet the state’s requirement for around seven months, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Tuesday, asserting that there is no shortage of sugar in the state.
“People are talking about a sugar crisis, but there is no shortage of sugar in Uttar Pradesh. The state’s total consumption in one month is 4 lakh tonne and we have 28 lakh tonne available. So you can estimate that we have seven months’ sugar available,” Adityanath said at an appointment letter distribution programme here.
He said sugar mills across the state would resume operations from October 15 and are expected to produce around 90 lakh tonne, or 900 lakh quintals, of sugar.
“Uttar Pradesh has such a large capacity,” the chief minister said, adding that the state had the capacity not only to meet the requirements of its 25 crore population but also contribute towards meeting the needs of the country’s 140 crore people.
His remarks came days after he said there was no shortage of sugar in Uttar Pradesh and directed officials to prevent hoarding, black marketing and the spread of misinformation regarding supplies.
The chief minister also stressed the need to strengthen agriculture through a “lab to land” approach, saying agricultural technical assistants and workers at Krishi Vigyan Kendras had an important role to play.
“If we have to talk about farming, we will have to go to the farmer’s field. This discussion will not happen in offices or seminar halls, but in the field,” he said.
Addressing newly appointed technical assistants and market secretaries, Adityanath urged them to use the opportunity provided through a transparent recruitment process for the benefit of the state and the country.
He called for honest and dedicated work, describing it as part of the government’s “Nation First” approach, and expressed confidence that the new employees would contribute to making Uttar Pradesh a self-reliant and developed state.