Lok Sabha Question No. 3705 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-11
Subject: Grant for Availability of Fertilizers in Rural Areas
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Gajendra Singh Patel

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF FERTILIZERS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3705 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 11.08.2023

## Grant for Availability of Fertilizers in Rural Areas

## 3705:  SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH PATEL:

Will the Minister o f CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the efforts being made to promote availability of chemical fertilizers in the country;
- (b)    whether the Government is providing any special grant for making available chemical fertilizers in the rural areas of the country;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has taken/proposes to take any steps to minimize the use of chemical fertilizers for maintaining the fertility of the land in the country;
- (e) if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) the  details  of  the  efforts  being  made  by  the  Government  to  ensure  availability  of chemical  fertilizers  in  tribal  dominated  Khargone  and  Barwani  Parliamentary Constituency in Madhya Pradesh?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS (SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA)

(a): Following steps are taken by the Government every season to meet the adequate and timely requirement of fertilizers including rural and tribal areas in the country:

i. Before the commencement of each cropping season, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), in consultation with all the State Governments, assesses the state-wise & month-wise requirement of fertilizers.

ii. On the basis of requirement projected, Department of Fertilizers allocates sufficient/ adequate quantities of fertilizers to States by issuing monthly supply plan and continuously monitors the availability.

iii. The  movement  of  all  major  subsidized  fertilizers  is  monitored  throughout  the country by an on-line web based monitoring system called integrated Fertilizer Monitoring System (iFMS);

iv. The  State  Governments  are  regularly  advised  to  coordinate  with  manufacturers and importers of fertilizers for streamlining the supplies.

v. Regular Weekly Video Conference is conducted jointly  by  DA&FW and  DoF  with State  Agriculture  Officials  and  corrective  actions  are  taken  to  dispatch  fertilizers  as indicated by the State Governments.

vi. The gap between demand (requirement) and production of fertilizers is met through imports.  The  import  for  the  season  is  also  finalized  well  in  advance  to  ensure  timely availability.

(b) & (c):  Urea and P& K fertilizers are subsidized in the country. Urea is being provided to the farmers at a statutorily notified Maximum Retail Price (MRP). The MRP of 45Kg bag of Urea  is  Rs  266.  With  regard  to  P&K  fertilizers,  a  fixed  amount  of  subsidy,  decided  on annual basis, is provided on subsidised P&K fertilizers depending on their nutrient content. Under  this  MRP  is  fixed  by  fertilizer  companies  as  per  market  dynamics  at  reasonable level  which  is  monitored  by  the  Government.  Accordingly,  all  farmers  of  the  country including rural areas are supplied Urea and P&K fertilizers at subsidized rates.

(d)  &  (e):    Government  of  India  (GoI)  is  promoting  the  balanced  and  judicious  use  of fertilizers based on soil test based recommendations in conjunction with organic fertilizer and  bio-fertilizers.  The  GoI  is  implementing  Soil  Health  Card  Scheme  which  besides providing soil fertility status (Soil test based  information on nutrient status), also recommends appropriate dosages of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and fertility.

(f): It  is  the  mandate  of  the  state  governments  to  ensure  comfortable  availability  of fertilizers  within  the  states  at  district  level.  Accordingly,  as  conveyed  by  the  state  of Madhya  Pradesh,  the  availability  scenario  of  fertilizers  during  the  ongoing  Kharif  2023 season in tribal dominated Khargone and Barwani districts of Madhya Pradesh is given as per Annexure - I.

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## Annexure-I

## Arrangement of Fertilizers in Khargone and Barwani District

(Quantity in MT)

| Fertilizers   | Khargone                 | Khargone                    | Khargone            | Barwani                | Barwani                     | Barwani             |
|---------------|--------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------|------------------------|-----------------------------|---------------------|
| Fertilizers   | PoS Sale upto 08.08.2022 | Availability as on 8.8.2023 | Sale as on 8.8.2023 | PoS sale Upto 8.8.2023 | Availability as on 8.8.2023 | Sale as on 8.8.2023 |
| UREA          | 55590                    | 62103                       | 59333               | 27434                  | 37066                       | 35153               |
| DAP           | 27317                    | 42253                       | 33242               | 9240                   | 15489                       | 11942               |
| NPK           | 5539                     | 17741                       | 9614                | 2627                   | 6438                        | 3885                |
| MOP           | 3586                     | 5307                        | 3467                | 1943                   | 3787                        | 2610                |

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