Lok Sabha Question No. 3821 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-11
Subject: Manufacturing of Banned Fertilizers
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Asaduddin Owaisi

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3821 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2023

## Manufacturing of Banned Fertilizers

## 3821:  SHRI  ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALSAND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  many  fertilizer  plants  are  manufacturing  banned fertilizers in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether any inspection(s) have been conducted at such fertilizer plants where complaints were received by the Government during the last two years, Statewise and year-wise;
- (d) the  action  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  to  impose  ban  on use  of  fertilizers  for  non-agricultural  purposes  and  cancellation  of  licenses  of the violating plants; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  shortage  of  fertilizers  registered  in  the  country  due  to cancellation of licenses of fertilizer plants by the Government and the remedial steps taken/proposed to be taken for such shortfall?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (d):    All the Fertilizer companies registered under urea subsidy  scheme & NBS schemes  produce  urea  and  P&K  Fertilizers  like  DAP,  MOP,  SSP  &  approved  NPK grades only as per the Fertilizer Control Order, 1985 (FCO) specifications. Fertilizer is declared  as  an  essential  commodity  and  is  notified  under  Fertilizer  Control  Order, 1985  and  Fertilizer (Movement  Control) Order, 1973. State  Governments  are adequately empowered under FCO to stop diversion of fertilizers for non-agriculture purposes and to take punitive action against any person / Fertilizer company involved in black marketing/smuggling  of  fertilizers violating the provisions of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and Fertilizer Control Order 1985(FCO).

Department of Fertilizers along with State Governments carries out regular joint inspections of fertilizer and related units. The state-wise details of inspections carried out and licenses cancelled in the last 2 years are at Annexure-1.

- (e):    The availability of chemical fertilizers in the last 2 years including current Kharif season remained comfortable and there is no shortage of fertilizers.

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Annexure-1

Table 1: State-wise Mixture Manufacturing units inspected, and action proposed/taken by State Governments.

| Sl. No.   | State Name     |   No. of Units Inspected |   License Cancelled by State/UTs |
|-----------|----------------|--------------------------|----------------------------------|
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh |                       10 |                                1 |
| 2         | Bihar          |                       11 |                                3 |
| 3         | Gujarat        |                       61 |                                0 |
| 4         | Karnataka      |                       43 |                                2 |
| 5         | Kerala         |                       60 |                               24 |
| 6         | Maharashtra    |                       58 |                                0 |
| 7         | Tamil Nadu     |                      111 |                                2 |
| 8         | Telangana      |                        3 |                                0 |
| 9         | Uttarakhand    |                        2 |                                0 |
| 10        | Uttar Pradesh  |                        4 |                                0 |
|           | Total          |                      363 |                               32 |

Table 2:  State-wise Urea using units inspected, and action taken by State Governments.

| Sl. No.   | State Name    |   No. of Urea using units Inspected |   FIR by State |
|-----------|---------------|-------------------------------------|----------------|
| 1         | Gujarat       |                                  43 |             25 |
| 2         | Haryana       |                                  21 |             13 |
| 3         | Karnataka     |                                   5 |              1 |
| 4         | Kerala        |                                  16 |              2 |
| 5         | Rajasthan     |                                  16 |              1 |
| 6         | Telangana     |                                   2 |              0 |
| 7         | Uttar Pradesh |                                   4 |              0 |
| 8         | Punjab        |                                   2 |              0 |
| 9         | Bihar         |                                   3 |              3 |
| 10        | Delhi         |                                   2 |              0 |
|           | Total         |                                 114 |             45 |

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