Paswan asks states to do real assessment of fertilisers need

New Delhi, Jan 29 (UNI) The Centre today asked the states to work out their requirement of fertilisers for the season in consultation with leading fertiliser companies and major suppliers of fertilisers in each state.

These assessment should be made on a district-wise, month-wise and company-wise format to ascertain the real requirement of fertilisers which should be conveyed to the government well in advance to obviate possibilities of its shortages, particularly in far-flung areas.

Addressing the first conference of state agriculture ministers here, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Ram Vilas Paswan appealed to States to ensure realistic demand for fertilizer products. The assessment should be based on area under crop, under irrigation and cropping pattern, and it should be developed from each block to be aggregated at district and state level demand with additional seasonal demands, if any.

The Conference was attended by State Agriculture Ministers, officials from State Governments, Members of the Consultative Committee of Parliament attached to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, representatives of concerned ministries/departments of the Central Government, CMDs/MDs of fertiliser manufacturing and trading companies and the Secretary and other officials of Department of Fertilizers.

The Minister said a target of 4 per cent growth in agriculture is envisaged for the 11th Five Year Plan. This can only be achieved if there is concerted effort for delivering the nutrient requirement which is estimated to grow at a rate of approximately 8 per cent per annum. This requires a concerted effort on the part of all the stakeholders, including the fertiliser industry, liner Departments of Government of India and the State Governments which are primarily responsible for the agriculture sector.

Mr Paswan observed that during the last two seasons, notwithstanding the overall availability of fertilisers at a macro level, reports of local shortages or sale of fertilisers at prices above the stipulated MRPs are being received. With a view to ensuring equitable distribution of fertilisers throughout the country, fertiliser companies are expected to arrange for a primary stock point in each district in which they are marketing fertiliser products.

The Lead fertiliser companies, on the other hand, will be expected to maintain a primary stock point in each district of the State for which they are the lead fertilizer unit.

The Ministry, Mr Paswan said, has recently launched a Fertiliser Monitoring System (FMS), a Web-based IT solution to bring about transparency in the monitoring of flow of fertilisers upto district level. The fertiliser companies are expected to enter despatch and sale of fertilisers on a daily basis and this will enable all stakeholders, including different levels of the State Governments, as well as the general public to be apprised regarding availability of fertilisers in any part of the country.

He drew the attention of the State Governments to the dealership networks of the various companies and said they should ensure each company operating in the state has a dealer network in all districts and blocks for marketing fertilisers wherever required, fresh dealers should be appointed and efforts should be made to ensure that the distribution chain is not monopolised by a few individuals.

States should also review the shortages in each district and block and draw strategy to mitigate shortages. They should review the railway infrastructure in the State by way of designated rake points and railway siding facilities at such points.

UNI