Artificial urea scarcity created in MP:Cong

Bhopal, Dec 23 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Opposition Leader Jamuna Devi has demanded registering of a case of criminal neglect against government officials responsible for creating ''artificial scarcity of urea''.

Ms Devi told reporters here that she had written to Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in this regard in view of sit-ins and protest demonstrations being staged by farmers opposing the scarcity of urea.

She described as baseless the allegations regarding inadequate supply of urea by the Centre and said the state government had not taken possession of urea provided by the Centre.

On the behalf of Union Fertiliser Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, the Congress leader claimed that the Centre had allotted 2,02,037 metric tonne and 2,49,810 metric tonne of urea in October and November respectively.

However, the state government took possession of only 1,39,640 metric tonne and 2,21,080 metric tonne urea in October and November respectively.

Likewise, the Centre had made available 2,25,410 metric tonne urea against the demand of two lakh tonne in December.

Alleging that the state government had failed to assess the demand for urea in view of 'rabi' crops, she said inadequate arrangement for proper distribution of urea had led to the artificial scarcity.

UNI AG-PS MSJ VV1804