Lok Sabha Question No. 408 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-01
Subject: Direct Fertilizer Subsidy
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: ARKA KESHARI DEO, SRINIVAS KESINENI, VINOD KUMAR BOIANAPALLI, LALUBHAI BABUBHAI PATEL

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

## LoK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 408

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 01.12.2015

## DIRECT FERTILIZER SUBSIDY

408 SHRI ARKA KESHARI DEO:

SHRI KESINENI NANI:

SHRI B.VINOD KUMAR:

SHRI LALUBHAI BABUBHAI PATEL:

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

- (a) the details of fertilizer subsidy provided to farmersduring the last three years and the current year; statelUTwise and year-wise;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to reduce fertilizer subsidy, if the details thereof; SO,
- (c) whether the government is planning to create a comprehensive database of beneficiary farmers to ensure that the benefits of fertilizer subsidy reach the poor and marginalised farmers;
- (d) whether the Government is   planning to give direct fertilizer   subsidy to farmers as per the recommendations of High Level Committee Report in Food Corporation of if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; India,
- whether the present subsidy regime on fertilizer has led to indiscriminate use of Urea adversely affecting soil quality, if so, the details of corrective action taken to ensure judicious use of fertilizers; and
- whether the Nutrient Based Fertilizer has improved the micro-nutrient levels in the soil, if the details thereof, and if not, the details of measures taken to improve soil health? Policy SO, being

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS

## (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

(a): Fertilizer subsidies paid the last three years and current years (up to October 2015) , year-wise,are as in table below: during

(Rupees in crores)

| Particulars            | Particulars     |   2012-13 |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16 (Upto Oct' 2015) |
|------------------------|-----------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|----------------------------|
| Indigenous Urea        | Indigenous Urea |   20000   |   26500   |   38200   |                   34864    |
| Imported Urea          | Imported Urea   |   20016   |   15353.3 |   16200   |                   10158.9  |
| Indigenous Fertilizers | Pek             |   16000   |   15500   |   12000   |                    8998.73 |
| Imported Fertilizers   | Pek             |   14576.1 |   13926.9 |    8667.3 |                    6257.58 |

State/UT-wise subsidy figures are not available as the subsidies are released to fertilizers companies paid

- (b) At present; there is no such proposal in the Department of Fertilizers.
- (c) Madam. The proposal for Proof of Concept (POC) for capturing retailer's sale   along with buyer' s identification is under consideration of the Department of Fertilizers Yes,
- (d) Madam: Implementation of DBT as recommended by High Level Committee (HLC) for Department of Food will require resolution of major policy issues such as Decontrol of Urea; (ii) Identification of beneficiaries; (iii) Determination of scale of entitlements\_ Comments  of Department of Fertilizers have already been communicated to Department of Food. No,
- (e) There is no  scientific   evidence of  adverse effect on soil  quality from judicious use of chemical fertilizers. However, indiscriminate and imbalanced use of fertilizers coupled with low addition of organic matter over years may result into multi-nutrient   deficiencies. To ensure judicious use of fertilizers Government is recommending soil test based balanced integrated nutrient   management through conjunctive use of both inorganic and organic sources of plant nutrient There is no study in Departnient of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare on effect of Nutrient Based Fertilizer Policy on micro-nutrient levels in soils. and
- To improve soil health, apart from integrated nutrient management; Soil Health Card Scheme has peen launched during February, 2015 to assist State Governments to issue soil health cards to all farmers in the country: Soil health cards will provide inforiation to farmers o nutrient status of their soil along with recommendation on appropiriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility: Soil nutrient status will be assessed in all the 14 crore farm holdings regularly in & of 3 years so that nutrient deficiencies are identified and amendments appliedd