(a) Whether as per the demand of Karnataka and other States, adequate number of rakes
are being provided by the Government for transportation of urea;
(b) If so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise,
(c) If not, the reasons therefor;
(d) Whether the Government has formulated any policy to establish a new system for this
purpose; and
(e) If so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS AND
MINISTER OF STATE (I/C) IN THE MINISTRY OF STATISTICS AND PROGRAMME IMPLEMENTAITON.
(SHRI SRIKANT KUMAR JENA)
(a) & (b): Subsidized fertilizers including Urea are moved throughout the country from plants
and ports through Railway Rakes and Road transportation. Ministry of Railways is providing
enough number of railway rakes for transportation of Urea to all the states and UTs including
Karnataka as per the demand of Urea in the States.
The month wise Railway Rakes of Urea loaded during the year 2013-14 (April 2013 to January
2014) is attached at Annexure-A.
Department of Agriculture and Co-operation along with Department of Fertilizers and Ministry
of Railway conducts regular weekly video conference with Agriculture officials of all the
States. During these meetings, no State/UT reported scarcity of Urea in their respective States.
(c): Question does not arise.
(d) & (e): To ensure the availability of fertilizers in the country, Government has taken
following steps:-
(1) The month-wise demand is assessed and projected by the Department of Agriculture &
Cooperation (DAC) in consultation with the State Governments before commencement of each
cropping season. Officials of Department of Agriculture of all the States, representatives
of all the fertilizer companies, officials of FAI, officials of Ministry of Railways and
Department of Fertilizers are participants in these biannual Zonal Conferences.
(2) On the basis of month-wise & state-wise projection given by Department of Agriculture
and Cooperation, Department of Fertilizers allocates sufficient/adequate quantities of
fertilizers to the States by issuing monthly supply plan and continuously monitors the
availability through following system:
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 are regularly advised to coordinate with manufacturers and
importers of fertilizers for streamlining the supplies through timely placement of indents
for railway rakes through their state institutional agencies like Markfed etc.
iii) Regular weekly Video conference is conducted jointly by Department of Agriculture &
Cooperation (DAC), Department of Fertilizers (DOF), and Ministry of Railways with State
Agriculture Officials and corrective actions are taken to dispatch fertilizer as indicated
by the State governments.
iv) The gap in the demand and domestic production of fertilizer is met through imports.