Urea finally gets subsidy nod
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 20 2011: After a lapse of over a month when the State Cabinet decided on sanctioning Rs 2 crore as subsidy amount on 10,000 metric tonne fertilizer, the chief Minister O Ibobi singh finally gave his approval today.

A source in the Agriculture Department said with the Chief Minister giving his nod to the subsidy decision, relevant process has been initiated for expeditious allocation of the sanctioned amount by the finance department.

It is also informed that a high level meeting attended by the Agriculture Minister Ph parijat and top officials of Agriculture Department was held today where the focus was on outcries from various section of the society regarding shortage of fertilizer.

Informing that under Fertilizer Control Order 1995 sale of fertilizer by traders not possessing valid license is punishable under law, the source said District Agriculture Officers (DAOs) concerned have also been instructed to track down unscrupulous elements found selling fertilizers at exorbitant price for initiation of punitive action.

Moreover, the DAOs have further been advised to report to the nearest police station cases related to unauthorised sale of fertilizer, confided the source while informing that to ensure sufficient availability of the essential agricultural item to the farmers the State government has approved purchase of additional quantity of 1300 metric tonne fertilizer from the indian Farmers' Fertilizer Corporation.

As fertilizer to be purchased from the Corporation is comparatively cheaper than the urea consignment lifted from Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation, the government of Manipur has approved sale of the former in the State at Rs 500 per bag while fertilizer procured from the latter firm will be sold here at Rs 520 per bag, informed the source further.

For transportation of the fertilizer consignment from Indian Farmers' Fertilizer corporation 20 trucks left for Jiribam on the NH-53 today, said the source while adding that 14 other vehicles had already left on the same route yesterday to lift the urea.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by Manipur State Council Communist Party of india said taking into account plight of the state farmers on shortage of fertilizers a meeting attended by the Agriculture Minister Ph Parijat and State Executive Committee members of the CPI was held at its Irabot Bhawan office today.

The Minister has been advised to utilise all the man-power of Agriculture Department, including its officials in the lifting of fertilizer from Namrup and Silchar, as well as for issuing of daily bulletin with regard to quantum of fertilizer brought to the State and its subsequent provision to the farmers, the release informed.

Besides decision to intimate the State Government for ensuring Rs 100 subsidy per bag of urea to the farmers as had been decided by the State Cabinet, the Irabot Bhawan meeting further resolved to seek cooperation of NGOs in the Government's endeavour to address the problem of fertilizer shortages in the State.

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