MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS
AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTATION AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY
OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI SRIKANT KUMAR JENA)
(a) : No, Madam.
(b) : In view of (a) above, question does not arise.
(c) & (d): A complaint has been received against IFFCO alleging purchase
of raw materials at a higher price and manipulating sales to claim higher
subsidy from the Government. The complaint is at various stages of examination.
(e) & (f): Government is always encouraging production of urea in the
country to achieve self-sufficiency. Steps are continuously taken by the
Department of Fertilizers for improvement in the system of delivery of
fertilizers to the farmers. The following steps have been taken in the
interest of ensuring adequate availability of fertilizers at affordable
prices in the country:-
(i) The movement of all major subsidized fertilizers is being monitored
throughout the country by an on-line web based monitoring system
(www.urvarak.co.in) also called as Fertilizer Monitoring System (FMS);
(ii) The State Governments have been advised to instruct the Sate
institutional agencies to coordinate with manufacturers and importers
of fertilizers for streamlining the supplies;
(iii) The regular weekly Video Conference is being conducted jointly by
Department of Agriculture & Cooperation, Department of Fertilizers,
Ministry of Railways and Department of Shipping with State Agriculture
officials and corrective actions are taken to despatch fertilizers as
indicated by the State Governments;
(iv) Fertilizer companies are required to print Maximum Retail Price (MRP)
on the fertilizer bags clearly. Any sale above the printed MRP is punishable
under the Essential Commodities Act;
(v) State Governments as enforcement agencies are adequately empowered to
check the irregularities.
The fertilizer companies are expected to feed in the data of daily production,
dispatch, receipt and sales in the web based FMS (www.urvarak.co.in).
There are checks built into the system wherein the company has to update
the following data within the specified time period:
i. Production – 3 days.
ii. Dispatch – 24 hours.
iii. Receipt – 5 days.
iv. Sales – 5 days.
The dispatch cannot be more than production plus opening stock. Receipt of
fertilizer cannot be more the dispatch quantity. Sales cannot be more than
inventory at district (i.e. receipt plus opening stock).
The Government is considering a New Investment Policy-2012 for increasing
indigenous production of urea in the country.
