Lok Sabha Question No. 2069 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-02
Subject: Incentives for Ecosystem Services
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Thiru Dr. S Jagathratchakan

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

## LOK   SABHA

## UNSTARRED  QUESTION NO. 2069 TO BE ANSWERED ON: 02.08.2024

## INCENTIVES FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

2069.    SHRI S. JAGATHRATCHAKAN

:

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

(a) whether the Government has taken note that incentives for Ecosystem Services including a mission mode approach of doubling Nitrogen Use Efficiency from current 30 to 60% by 2030 is likely to save use of inorganic fertilizers as well as huge subsidy; and

(b) if  so,  the  initiatives  taken/proposed  to  be  taken  by  the  Government  in  this regard?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a)  &  (b):      The  nitrogen  use  efficiency  of  nitrogenous  fertilizers  varies  between  3050% depending on soil type and crop grown. Remaining nitrogen is lost mainly by way of nitrate leaching (causing nitrate contamination in ground water above  the permissible  limit  of  10  mg  NO3-N  /L),  emission  of  nitrous  oxide  (N2O)  through denitrification  and  ammonia  volatilization  contributing  greenhouse  emission.  Thus, improving  the  efficiency  of  N  fertilizer  will  reduce  the  Green  House  Gas  (GHG) emission and the environment.

Soil test based balanced and integrated nutrient management practices through conjunctive use of both inorganic and organic sources (compost, bio-fertilizers, green manure  etc.),  split  application  and  placement  of  nitrogenous  fertilizers,  use  of  slow releasing  N-fertilizers,  nitrification  inhibitors  and  use  of  neem  coated  urea  etc.  have also been developed by ICAR. Improved and efficient strains of bio-fertilizers specific to  different  crops  and  soil  types both  liquid  and  powdered  form that  are  being promoted.

Government  has  been  providing  assistance  of  ₹1,500/MT  under  the  Market Development  Assistance  (MDA)  scheme  to  promote  marketing  of  organic  fertilizers viz.,  Fermented  Organic  Manure  (FOM),  Liquid  FOM,  Phosphate  Rich  Organic Manure  (PROM)  produced  at  CBG/BG  plants  under  GOBARdhan  initiative.  The scheme has a total outlay of ₹1,451.84 crore (FY 2023-24 to 2025-26), which includes a  corpus  of  ₹360  crore  for  research  gap  funding  etc.  These  initiatives  of  the Government  are  expected  to  address  the  imbalanced  use  of  chemical  fertilizers thereby reducing chemical fertilizer use.

The  Cabinet  Committee  on  Economic  Affairs  (CCEA)  in  its  meeting  held  on 28th  June,  2023  has  approved  the  'PM  Programme  for  Restoration,  Awareness Generation,  Nourishment  and  Amelioration  of  Mother-Earth  (PM-PRANAM)'.  The initiative aims to support the mass movement started 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.

The  Government  has  promoted  use  of  new  age  fertilizers  like  Nano  Urea  & Sulphur  Coated  Urea  (Urea  Gold).    Sulphur  Coated  Urea  (SCU)  has  been  notified under the Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) 1985.  SCU addresses the sulphur deficiency in  the  soil,  reduces the input costs and raises income for farmers.   Further, Sulphur Coated Urea has better Nitrogen Use Efficiency due to slow release of Nitrogen in the soil, which results in enhanced production and increased productivity of crops.

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