Maha govt to take up ban on sugarcane juice for ethanol with Centre: Ajit Pawar

NAGPUR: Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday assured the agitated Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly that the government has taken up the Centre's ban on the use of sugarcane juice for manufacturing Ethanol.

"I had a discussion with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and tried speaking to Union Minister for Trade and Commerce, Piyush Goyal but could not speak to him," said Pawar.

Responding to the members' concern in the Assembly, Pawar informed the House that the issue was discussed with Union Minister for Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari who had invited him for further discussion.

Pawar said those manufacturing Ethanol in Maharashtra will be in trouble as on five per cent seed capital they have raised institutional loan to the tune of 95 per cent and will face consequences if ban is not revoked

In a later development, the entire Opposition staged a walkout in the Maharashtra Assembly over the denial of a full fledged discussion on the reservation policy, compensation to farmers over losses to oranges, cotton and other crops due to untimely rain in the state.

Leader of Opposition, Vijay Wadettiwar, group leader Nana Patole, (both Congress), Jayant Patil (NCP) and others insisted that the House should take up discussion immediately while Speaker Rahul Narvekar said he will allow it later in the day or Saturday, which irked them and led to walkout.

Patole said the government was not serious on the important issue affecting a large number of farmers, cotton and orange growers.

Sunil Prabha (Shiv Sena-UBT) and Varsha Gaikwad (Congress) were heard shouting anti-government slogans on the stairs of Vidhan Bhawan along with others.