GG News Bureau
Bengaluru, 14th July. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health, Chemicals, and Fertilisers, urged states on Thursday to popularise and replace chemical fertilisers with indigenously developed nano fertilisers.
The farmers are given fertiliser bags for Rs 266 each, while the actual cost to the government is Rs 2,300, the union minister said.
“India’s fertiliser consumption is 35 percent of the world’s and India imports 70 lakh to 100 lakh metric tonnes every year,” Mandaviya said during the opening session of the National Conference of State Agriculture and Horticulture Ministers here.
Farmers, he claims, are given fertiliser bags for Rs 266, which actually costs the government Rs 2,300. He went on to say that the country provides farmers with fertiliser at a heavily subsidised rate.
“The government of India spends Rs 2.5 lakh crore on fertiliser subsidies, which is roughly equivalent to the annual budget of any large state like Karnataka,” Mandaviya said.
The Union Minister said, Indian scientists recognised the government’s problems and developed nano fertilisers.
Each bottle of nano fertiliser is the equivalent of one fertiliser bag and costs Rs 240.
“Four lakh tonnes of fertiliser bags are equal to one crore nano fertiliser bottles. Can we make them more popular? I used it on my 100 acres of land and found it to be very efficient, “Mandaviya explained.
The minister also stated that studies on nano fertiliser bottles were conducted and that they were found to be safe and effective. Furthermore, it is indigenous and a step toward achieving ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.’
Mandaviya has said that by 2025, the country will have nine nano fertiliser plants, with the goal of replacing two lakh metric tonnes of chemical fertilisers.
“In the coming days, we want to achieve one nation, one fertiliser under the Bharatiya Jan Urvarak Yojana (Indian People’s Fertiliser Scheme),” the union minister said.
Mandaviya also urged states to prevent the diversion of subsidised fertilisers to industries.
He asked the states to create their own dashboards, as the centre has done at the local level through the Integrated Fertiliser Supply Management System (IFSMS).
The event was attended by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka Agriculture Minister B C Patil, union ministers and agriculture ministers from various states, and senior officials.
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