YSRCP Demands Rollback on Sugar Factory Monetisation
YSRCP slams TDP government over plans to monetise cooperative sugar factory lands, demanding immediate dues for farmers and employees.
The Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) has launched a fierce attack on the TDP-led coalition government in Andhra Pradesh, vowing to block any attempts to sell off cooperative sugar factories. The opposition party is demanding an immediate reversal of the government order (GO) aimed at monetising sugar factory lands and has called for the urgent settlement of outstanding dues owed to farmers and staff.
The Battle Over Cooperative Assets
YSRCP leaders have raised alarms over a recent cabinet decision to monetise lands belonging to cooperative sugar factories. According to the party, the government is eyeing a massive land bank spanning 770 acres across the state, which is estimated to be worth approximately Rs 3,000 crore.
Former Minister Gudivada Amarnath and former MLA Dharmasri expressed deep concern regarding this move, accusing Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu of having a strong inclination towards privatisation. They argued that these assets are public property and should not be treated as commodities for sale.
The Govada Factory Crisis
A central point of the contention is the Govada sugar factory, a functional unit that supports the livelihoods of roughly 25,000 farmers. The YSRCP has highlighted a critical financial deadlock involving this facility:
- Farmer Dues: The government reportedly owes Rs 30 crore to farmers for sugarcane procurement.
- Employee Dues: Approximately Rs 5 crore is owed to the factory's employees.
The YSRCP leaders claimed that while the government indicated it would clear these debts, it did so with a controversial condition: the payments would only be made using the proceeds from the sale of the sugar factory itself. The opposition has labeled this approach "unacceptable," stating that the factory belongs to the shareholders and the farming community.
Protest Planned for September 29
In response to the government's stance, the YSRCP has scheduled a protest for September 29 to demonstrate against privatisation and the withholding of payments. The party is demanding that the government treat the outstanding amounts as a grant, including interest, rather than linking the payments to the sale of assets.
The opposition leaders further accused the current administration of a pattern of selling off public assets, including medical colleges and various land holdings. They have specifically called for the immediate reopening and support of the Govada sugar factory, which serves the Chodavaram and Madugula constituencies.
"It was YS Jagan Mohan Reddy who ensured all benefits reached the farmers," the leaders stated, urging the current government to roll back the monetisation orders and fulfill its financial obligations to the agricultural community and workers through direct grants.