Biofertiliser unit to come up in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Jan 29 (UNI) Chhattisgarh's first biofertiliser plant will be set up on 7.5 acres in this district's Chhote Ugla village to meet the spiralling demand in the state.

''The Centre will provide Rs 50 lakh for the roughly Rs 2.5-crore unit. A memorandum of understanding will soon be inked with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED). An endeavour will be made to complete the plant in six months,'' Chhattisgarh Seeds and Farm Development Corporation Chairman Chandrashekhar Sahu told UNI here today.

The responsibility of providing the land, infrastructure, water, power and maintenance would be that of the Corporation while NAFED would provide technical advice, the production formula, ensure product quality and marketing outside the state.

''Over the past seven years, Chhattisgarh's farmers are being cheated in the name of biofertiliser. They are receiving fake fertiliser despite making payments. The decision to establish the plant was taken in the middle of last year. Peasants are stressing on biofertiliser instead of its chemical counterpart. The plant's initial capacity will be one lakh tonnes,'' Mr Sahu added.

UNI AS-AC AKJ SSC1524