The Government has decided to call a meeting of all political parties on Monday to discuss sugarcane pricing policy to hammer out a solution to the issue. Leader of the house in Lok Sabha and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has invited the floor leaders for the meeting in the backdrop of DMK, a key ally of ruling UPA, joined the united opposition in the protest against the policy. Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal told reporters after the Business Advisory Committee meeting of the Lok Sabha that the government is open for discussion on all issues. <br/> <br/>Meanwhile, the Business Advisory Committee of the Rajya Sabha has decided to take up for discussion a number of issues including sugarcane, price rise and disinvestment in the first seven sittings of the current session. The meeting was convened immediately after the Lok Sabha plunged into pandemonium on the sugarcane pricing policy on Thursday.<br/> <br/>The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh held an emergency meeting with some of his top Cabinet colleagues to sort out the crisis over Centre's sugarcane policy. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar and Law Minister Veerappa Moily attended the meeting.<br/> <br/>The Prime Minister has said that the government will amend the Ordinance on sugarcane prices if it hurts the interest of farmers. AICC Secretary Pervez Hashmi told reporters that the assurance was given by Prime Minister to AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi who met Dr Manmohan Singh yesterday. Mr Gandhi's meeting with the Prime Minister took place in the backdrop of the controversy over the new sugarcane pricing policy that gave a stormy start to the winter session of Parliament.<br/> <br/>Meanwhile, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh appealed to all sugarcane growers of Uttar Pradesh to have faith in pro-farmer policy of UPA government and assured them that it will ensure the highest possible sugarcane price in the present context.<br/> <br/> <br/>
News On AIR | November 20, 2009 12:14 PM
Govt calls all party meeting on Monday to discuss sugarcane pricing policy