Lok Sabha Question No. 2616 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-04
Subject: Cross Border Smuggling of Subsidised Urea
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Raja Amareshwara Naik, Sukanta Majumdar, Rajveer (Raju Bhaiya) Singh, Vinod Kumar Sonkar, Bhola Singh, Goddeti Madhavi, Jayanta Kumar Roy, Sangeeta Kumari Singh Deo

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2616 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 04.08.2023

Cross Border Smuggling of Subsidised Urea

2616:  SHRI RAJA AMARESHWARA NAIK:

DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR:

SHRI RAJVEER SINGH (RAJU BHAIYA):

SHRI VINOD KUMAR SONKAR:

SHRI BHOLA SINGH:

SHRIMATI GODDETI MADHAVI:

DR. JAYANTA KUMAR ROY:

SHRIMATI SANGEETA KUMARI SINGH DEO:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a)     whether the Government is aware of the diversion of subsidised urea and other fertilizers  meant  for  farmers  for  use  in  agricultural  purposes,  to  illegal  industrial use;
- (b)       if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  the  number  of  cases  registered,  action  taken against culprit and revenue lost during the last three years, State-wise and yearwise;
- (c)        whether  the  Government  has  set  up  Fertilizer  Flying  Squads  to  check  such diversion including cross border smuggling of urea;
- (d)      If so, the details thereof along with the number of surprise inspections conducted, FIR  lodged,  bags  seized,  manufacturers  de-authorised  during  the  last  three years, State-wise and year-wise; and
- (e)     The other steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to check illegal diversion of subsidised urea for industrial use in the country?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to  (e):    Department  of  Fertilizers  has  constituted  a  special  team  of  dedicated officers, 'Fertilizer Flying Squad' (FFS) for regular surprise inspections of fertilizer and related  units  involved  in  possible  diversion,  black  marketing,  hoarding  and  supply  of sub-standard quality of fertilizers.

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 action taken since April, 2022 is as under;

## Details of action taken by the State Government against the Mixture Manufacturer Units

| S. No.   | State          | No. of Mixture Units inspected   | Action Taken By State (Since April 2022)   | Action Taken By State (Since April 2022)   | Action Taken By State (Since April 2022)   | Action Taken By State (Since April 2022)   |
|----------|----------------|----------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------|
| S. No.   | State          | No. of Mixture Units inspected   | License Cancelled                          | De- authorized From iFMS                   | Show Cause issued                          | FIR Regd.                                  |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh | 10                               | 1                                          | 0                                          | 0                                          | 0                                          |
| 2        | Bihar          | 11                               | 3                                          | 2                                          | 1                                          | 0                                          |
| 3        | Gujarat        | 61                               | 0                                          | 17                                         | 0                                          | 0                                          |
| 4        | Karnataka      | 43                               | 2                                          | 20                                         | 13                                         | 0                                          |
| 5        | Kerala         | 60                               | 24                                         | 23                                         | 1                                          | 0                                          |
| 6        | Maharastra     | 58                               | 0                                          | 6                                          | 0                                          | 2                                          |
| 7        | Tamil Nadu     | 111                              | 2                                          | 11                                         | 16                                         | 0                                          |
| 8        | Telangana      | 3                                | 0                                          | 0                                          | 0                                          | 0                                          |
| 9        | Uttarakhand    | 2                                | 0                                          | 0                                          | 1                                          | 0                                          |
| 10       | Uttar Pradesh  | 4                                | 0                                          | 0                                          | 0                                          | 0                                          |
|          | Total          | 363                              | 32                                         | 79                                         | 32                                         | 2                                          |

## Details of action taken by the State Government against the urea using units

| S. No.   | State         |   No. of Inspections |   FIR registered (Since April, 2022) |
|----------|---------------|----------------------|--------------------------------------|
| 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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