Centre taking steps to end fertilizer scarcity in UT: PMK

Puducherry, Nov 24 (UNI) The Union Government is taking steps to end the scarcity of fertilizer in the Union Territory, PMK parliamentary party leader Prof M Ramadass said today.

Addressing a press conference here, he said after he held talks with Union Fertilizer secretary Mr Sharma along with Puducherry Agriculture Minister V Vaithilingam, 100 metric tonnes of urea had already been sent here from IFCO Chennai, besides 1,500 mt of DAP and compost from Orissa would be sent to Puducherry within a week.

Stating that the territorial administration had sought permission from the Ministry of Trade and Commerce to import 30,000 tonnes of cement from foreign countries to stabilise the market price of cement here, the PMK leader said Mr Ajay Shankar, secretary trade and commerce had assured to grant permission to import the cement which would be distributed through the Puducherry Agricultural Service and Industries Corporation(PASIC).

Prof Ramadass said he along with Welfare Minister M Kandasamy had called on Union Minister Renuka Chowdhury, who agreed to inaugurate the Sonia Gandhi Cradle Baby scheme here on December nine besides promising Rs 16 crore for modernisation of the juvenile home at Ariyankuppam.

Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Ms Meira Kumar had agreed to sanction Rs 16 crore for the construction of hostels for the Adi Dravidar students in Puducherry and Karaikal regions, he added.

UNI