CPI to protest rising fertiliser prices on June 26

New Delhi, Jun 13 (UNI) Opposing the routing of huge fertilisers subsidy, meant for farmers, through the industry and shying away from making a direct payment to agriculturists, the Communist Party of India (CPI) today said the party would organise countrywide protests from June 26 seeking a change in the policy of reimbursement of the subsidy now touching Rs one lakh crore.

The party has urged the government to initiate steps to ensure that the fertiliser price rise is checked and stocks be made available at affordable cost, a party statement said.

''We demand that the fertiliser subsidy be given directly to farmers and stop it from being given to factories,'' the statement added.

The party apprehended shortage of stocks in the monsoon season.

At the same time, it reminded the government to work out a long term alterantive fertiliser policy with a strategy to promote bio-fertiliser as healthy, better and cheaper alternative to chemical fertiulisers, which has been proved harmful to human beings, land and environment, besides being very costly.

The government has changed the policy of giving subsidy on basis of brands - like urea, DAP and Complex fertilisers and instead, the new policy for determining the subsidy will be based on quantum of nutrients-Nitorgen, Phosphate and Potach etc. However, the prices of urea, DAP and complex fertiulisers have not been raised for the farmers and factories were assures better and rationalised freight payments.

UNI/JSS ATI BD1845