Lok Sabha Question No. 1323 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-09
Subject: Expenditure on Fertilizers
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Debasree Chaudhuri

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1323 TO BE ANSWERED ON : 09.02. 2024

## Expenditure on Fertilizers

## 1323: MS. DEBASREE CHAUDHURI:

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

- (a) the details of the Government expenditure on fertilizers in the country for the year 2023-24;
- (b) whether any steps have been taken/proposed to be taken to solve the issue of rising price of chemical fertilizers, including substitution with organic fertilizers in the country;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the One Nation One Fertilizer Policy has helped with minimizing cost of fertilizers in the country as promised; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

- (a):    Government provides subsidy on various fertilizers to ensure adequate availability of  fertilizers  at  affordable  prices  to  farmers.  The  subsidy  provided  for  fertilizers  in  the country for the year 2023-24 (as on 31.01.24) is Rs.1,70,923 Crore.
- (b)  &  (c):  The  Government  has  implemented  Nutrient  Based  Subsidy  Policy  w.e.f. 1.4.2010 for Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) Fertilizers. Under the policy, a fixed amount of subsidy, decided on annual/semi-annual basis, is provided on notified P&K fertilizers depending  on  their  nutrient  content.  Under  this  policy,  MRP  is  fixed  by  fertilizer companies  as  per  market  dynamics  at  reasonable  level  which  is  monitored  by  the Government. Accordingly, any farmer of India including poor and marginal farmers who buy  these  fertilizers  gets  benefits  of  subsidy.  So  far  as  Urea  is  concerned,  Urea  is provided to the farmers at a statutorily notified Maximum Retail Price (MRP). The MRP of 45 kg bag of urea is Rs.242 per bag (exclusive of charges towards neem coating and taxes as applicable).

The  Government  has  approved  the  Market  Development  Assistance  (MDA)@ Rs.  1500/MT  to  promote  organic  fertilizers,  i.e.  manure  produced  at  plants  under GOBARdhan initiative  and  PM-PRANAM  for  a  period  of  three  years  (FY  2023-24  to 2025-26).

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) in its meeting held on 28th June,  2023  has  approved  PM-PRANAM  (PM  Programme  forRestoration,  Awareness Generation, Nourishment and Amelioration of Mother Earth) which aims to complement the  efforts  initiated  by  States/UTs  to  save  the  health  of  Mother  Earth  by  promoting sustainable  and  balanced  use  of  fertilizers,  adopting  alternate  fertilizers,  promoting organic farming and implementing resource conservation technologies.

(d) & (e):   Vide notification dated 24 th August, 2022, Government of India has decided to  implement  'One  Nation  One  Fertilizers'  by  introducing  Single  Brand  and  Logo  for fertilizers  under  'Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Jan  Urvarak  Pariyojna'  (PMBJP).  The implementation of PMBJP has enhanced the availability basket of fertilizers, taking care of dilemma among farmers in choosing from plethora of brands available in the market and helps inreducing the criss-cross movement and ensuring timely supply of fertilizers.

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