NEW DELHI: Pointing out how the government’s ethanol blending programme is politically crucial, Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari said on Tuesday that there are 189 parliamentary constituencies where farmers grow sugarcane. Had the ethanol blending programme not been accelerated, he said, pending sugarcane dues of farmers would have posed serious problems to leaders.
He said if the cane dues were not paid in time, it would have been difficult for leaders to travel to their constituencies or be in decision making roles in Delhi. “There are 189 parliamentary constituencies where farmers grow sugar and if they didn’t get their dues, we can’t come here (Delhi) even for taking decisions,” he said.
