Website launched to streamline fertiliser supply

New Delhi, Jan 22 (UNI) Perturbed over the perpetual complaints of non-availability of fertilisers in far-flung areas of the country, the Department of Fertilisers (DoF) has linked payment of subsidy to the supply at the district level and also launched a website for monitoring it on day-to-day basis.

Formally clicking on the website, www.urvarak.co.in, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said despite comfortable stock position at the macro level, there had always been reports of shortages of supply from various parts of the country.

This is attributable primarily to 'inefficiency in distribution network as well as inadequate compensation to fertiliser companies and dealers towards distribution cost, he said.

In this context, the government would enhance freight payable to the fertiliser companies on transportation of the stocks in remote areas, but at the same time each urea plant has been asked to create warehousing facility and stock at the district level for which they have been appointed as the lead fertiliser company.

At the same time, the state governments, which are primarily responsible for determining the quality of decontrolled and controlled (urea) fertilisers supplied to submit the sale certificates to the DoF after due inspection within 30 days.

Hitherto, some states submit such certificates even after two years, said Mr Paswan adding that this practice had eventually delayed the settlement of subsidy claims of fertiliser companies.

The DoF will soon submit a note to Union Cabinet to rationalise the freight rationalisation on fertiliser transportation and to amend the Fertiliser Control Order, aimed at maintaining quality control, to bring the order under its purview to check the sale and distribution of spurious fertilisers, Mr Paswan said at a press conference here.

To tackle all problems faced on supply and quality of fertilisers, the DoF has introduced Fertiliser Monitoring System (FMS) which would bring transparency in the stock positions right from import of raw material, fertilisers stocks to final domestic production dispatched by the units.

The system, effective from April 1 this year (Kharif crop season) would put at display a monthly report to the public the stock dispatched and distributed by each company in each state and certification from each state's agriculture department for realisation of subsidy.

Besides, the DoF has asked the state governments to convey their requirements well in advance and desist from continuing the old practice of allowing import of decontrolled fertiliser stocks at the eleventh hour.

The fertilisers consumption is on the rise annually by about 10 per cent in the country and the government has made available 22.3 million tonnes of urea, 7.3 million tonnes of DAP and 2.9 million tonnes of MOP during last year till January 2007.

And, these stocks entail Rs 34,000 crore subsidy payable to the fertiliser companies by the Centre.

UNI