Bid to stop urea diversion to poppy growers
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: April 13, 2022 -

THONGAM Biswajit is probably the first agriculture minister to acknowledge possible wrongful diversion of urea fertilizer, out of the state's quota that the government had been procuring seasonally for the farmers, for use in illegal poppy plantations.

It is quite possible that the poppy growers can still get hold of the required quantity of urea from the open market even if the government manages to plug the loopholes and streamlines the distribution system but minister Biswajit's statement that necessary measures would be initiated to stop flow of the vital agricultural ingredient in the poppy fields underscores that he has set sight on preventing further proliferation of drugs in the society.

Unlike his two predecessors in the first term of the coalition government, one of whom made no significant contribution towards increasing the state's agricultural yield or improving the much-neglected irrigation system, while the other went viral on the social media for his pompous declaration to ensure maximum job recruitment in the agriculture department rather than working out plans to address the perennial dependency for food-grains on other states, Biswajit has been carrying out field visits, holding meeting with department officials and initiating relevant measures.

For the record, Biswajit is the first agriculture minister to realise the necessity of drilling bore-wells, wherever suitable, to supply irrigation water pending planning and execution of viable irrigation projects.

There were also reports that the minister pulled up officials working in the research-centric units of the agriculture and horticulture department since taking over charge as the agriculture minister.

While it is obvious that his top priority at the juncture would be to ensure adequate availability of urea fertilizer ahead of the paddy cultivation season, it is commendable that Biswajit has acknowledged that importance of checking anomalies associated with distribution of urea and misuse of the same, especially for poppy cultivation.

In order to streamline the urea distribution system so that the hard working farmers do not resort to street protests as had been the case every season for the past many years, the minister announced on Monday that the department would despatch field staff to verify the arable land for systemic distribution of urea to prevent any shortage and ensure the same is sold at the government-fixed price.

While sufficient stocking of urea fertilizer would help increase the food-grain production, it is the minister's acknowledgment about transportation of pesticides and fertilizers in excess of the required quantity to some outlaying hill districts for the main purpose of growing poppies which is noteworthy as effective prevention of the same would make huge contributions towards making the government's war on drugs campaign a success.

Having acknowledged connection between man-made shortage of urea and poppy cultivation, it is desired that the minister would maintain the same enthusiasm in identifying those involved in diverting urea from the state's seasonal allocation to poppy growers and frame effective urea distribution system to prevent unscrupulous officials from abetting poppy cultivation.

It needs no reminding that streamlining the urea distribution system would not only sabotage the devilish intention of anti-social elements but would also help realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's goal of doubling the farmers' income by 2022.