New Delhi, Aug 26: India is not facing a sugar shortage as adequate stocks are available to meet domestic demand until the new crushing season begins in October, the government said on Wednesday.

It clarified that the share of sugar diverted for ethanol production has declined from around 12 per cent in 2022-23 to around 9 per cent in 2025-26. Moreover, nearly three-fourths of the ethanol produced in the country now comes from grains, particularly maize, it said, refuting claims that the diversion of sugar for producing ethanol was leading to the price rise of the sweetener.

Simultaneously, retail sugar prices for consumers have also remained broadly stable, increasing by only around 3 per cent annually between August 2024 and July 2026, according to the government factsheet.

Sugar prices have increased in recent weeks, from Rs 48.18 per kg on July 20 to Rs 55.70 per kg on August 20. This reflects an increase of around 15.6 per cent within one month. This suggests the current uptick largely reflects short-term supply and market factors, rather than a shift in the underlying price trend, the factsheet states.

The present increase in sugar prices is due to a combination of factors, including lower-than-expected domestic production, increased demand ahead of the festive season, and weather-related damage to the sugarcane crop. Besides, tightening global sugar supplies and rising prices, as well as speculation and hoarding by some sections of the industry, are other factors behind the price rise, the statement said.

Sugar production during the current season is expected to be around 306 LMT, compared to the initial estimate of around 343 LMT. Production has been affected by two factors: Red Rot and Top Borer disease, and waterlogging caused by excess rainfall. However, despite the lower-than-estimated production, adequate sugar stocks are available in the country to meet domestic demand. The new crushing season will begin in October.

The tightening of sugar supplies is a global phenomenon and is not limited just to India. The global sugar deficit for 2026-27 is estimated at around 33 lakh MT. As a result, international sugar prices have risen sharply from $474/tonnes on June 30, 2026 to $552/tonnes on August 20, 2026. This marks an increase of over 16 per cent in less than two months, the factsheet points out.

It also states that the ethanol programme has helped sugarcane farmers and strengthened sugar mills. On average, India produces around 300-340 lakh MT of sugar annually and its domestic sugar consumption is around 280-290 lakh MT each year.

In years of surplus production, excess stocks block the funds of sugar mills and delay payments to sugarcane farmers. Diversion of excess sugar towards ethanol has helped address this structural problem and improved the financial health of sugar mills. The area under sugarcane cultivation has also increased from 49.27 lakh hectares in 2015-16 to 58.87 lakh hectares in 2025-26.

As of August 20, 2026, 97 per cent of sugarcane dues for the 2025-26 sugar season have already been paid to farmers. The improved financial position of sugar mills has reduced their dependence on government support, the statement added.

New Delhi, Aug 26: Several leaders of the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Wednesday slammed AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his criticism of the Allahabad High Court’s dress code order and accused him of indulging in vote-bank politics and adding a “communal flavour” to the issue of education and progress.

Owaisi had strongly criticised the Allahabad High Court’s decision dismissing a petition filed by a minor student from a school in Prayagraj, who had sought permission to wear a hijab along with the prescribed school uniform.

Addressing a grand Jalsa-e-Rahmatul-lil-Alameen gathering at the AIMIM headquarters in Darussalam on Tuesday, he said, “I disagree with this High Court judgment; I do not concur with it… Today’s verdict violates Articles 25 and 19 of the Indian Constitution. Who are you to decide what is essential to Islam? Girls are wearing hijab on their heads, not on their minds. It is an attack on Islam.”

Reacting to this, BJP MP Ghulam Ali Khatana said that Islam teaches one to respect and follow the rules and regulations of the country they are living in.

Speaking to media, BJP MP Khatana said, “Owaisi indulges in his own brand of vote-bank politics. Islam teaches that in whichever country you live, we should adapt to and respect its norms, laws, and identification regulations, and not create obstacles in their way.”

Shiv Sena spokesperson Shaina NC asserted that while no one is against the idea of wearing hijab, Muslim women are not compelled to wear it.

“Personally, we’re not against wearing the hijab, but nowhere has it been mentioned that women in Islam must wear the hijab. But Asaduddin Owaisi obviously has his own agenda of vote bank politics. He can continue to argue till doomsday, but do understand that uniform discipline and equality represent secularism. When you have uniform instilled discipline, equality amongst children, it projects that the institutional identity is maintained,” Shaina NC told media.

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also slammed Owaisi over his remarks and accused the AIMIM chief of adding a “communal flavour” to the education issue.

Speaking to media, Naqvi said, “Some people are trying to lock up the education and progress of Muslim girls in a Taliban-like manner. And in the name of that, sometimes they try to create communal confusion over the hijab, and sometimes they try to add a communal flavour to their education and progress.”

“The holy scripture of our country, the system of our country, runs according to the Constitution. The hijab is not banned in our country; many countries have imposed a ban on it, but it is not banned here. However, every institution has its own discipline and dress code, and everyone should respect that,” he added.

On Tuesday, the Allahabad High Court observed that the petitioner had failed to produce any religious scripture or other material establishing that wearing a scarf was an “essential” part of her religion, without which her faith would be adversely affected. The court also pointed out that photographs submitted in the case showed other students belonging to the same religious community attending school without wearing scarves.

New Delhi, Aug 26: A 24-year-old man died in a tragic road accident on the Khichripur flyover in the Ghazipur area of ​​East Delhi early on Wednesday, officials said.

The man has been identified as Nikhil. He was reportedly travelling from Ghaziabad to his home in Janakpuri when he met with the accident on the flyover.

A crowd of people gathered at the scene following the accident. According to the locals, there was a delay in the arrival of police and an ambulance.

Locals alleged that the police and ambulance arrived at the scene after approximately 30 to 40 minutes, leading to public outrage.

However, after the delay, the police took possession of the body and sent it to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital for post-mortem. The police have registered a case and are conducting further investigations to determine the cause of the accident, officials said.

The vehicle involved and the circumstances surrounding the accident are also being investigated. Police are reviewing CCTV footage from nearby cameras to gather information about the incident.

The deceased’s uncle, Satish, speaking to media, said, “He received information about Nikhil’s accident over the phone. He was returning from his elder brother’s house. The exact cause of the accident is not yet known. Only after an investigation will certain things become clear.”

Officials said that an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident and apprehend the accused.

Further details are awaited.

Earlier, on Sunday evening, an SUV hit a couple walking near the Kailash Colony Metro Station in Greater Kailash-1, Delhi. The woman died, and her husband was injured.

The deceased woman was identified as 71-year-old Shashi.

The SUV driver also hit several other vehicles. However, the driver, Tapan Ahir, was arrested on the spot after the accident, officials said.