Controversy Erupts Over Maharashtra's Sugarcane Levy for Relief Fund

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar has voiced strong opposition to the Maharashtra government's recent decision to impose a levy on sugarcane mills, a move intended to bolster the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) for Marathwada's flood-affected farmers. Pawar has urged the government to reconsider what he perceives as an unfair financial burden on cultivators.

The levy, set at Rs 10 per tonne for the CMRF and an additional Rs 5 per tonne for direct assistance to affected farmers, has sparked backlash from various agricultural leaders. Critics, including Raju Shetti and Congress MLC Satej Patil, argue that this levy imposes an undue burden on the sugarcane industry, which is already facing economic stresses.

Despite criticism, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the levy, clarifying that it targets the profits of sugarcane mills, not farmers' earnings. Addressing a gathering in Ahilyanagar, Fadnavis emphasized the necessity of the measure for providing swift relief to Marathwada, while also condemning opponents for misrepresenting the decision's intent as exploitative toward farmers.

(With inputs from agencies.)