India, Oct. 6 -- Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, while slamming the opposition for criticising the state government's decision to impose a levy on sugarcane, clarified that the levy will not burden cultivators but will be deducted from the profits of sugar mills to support farmers hit by the recent floods.

"Some people are very narrow-minded. During a high-level committee meeting, it was noted that sugar mills in Maharashtra have achieved a turnover of Rs.30,000 crore while the state government has extended support worth Rs.10,000 crore. Hence, we decided to keep Rs.5 per tonne aside for the affected farmers. But some are misrepresenting it as money being taken from the farmers," the chief minister said. He was speaking at ...