The Union Government is yet to allocate 2,86,000 MT of various fertilisers to the State for the month of July putting the State Government in a fix.With the onset of monsoon, the agricultural operations in the State have picked up momentum and more than 4.2 lakh hectare of area has already been covered under various crops till June 20, said the latest report on Khariff prepared by the Department of Agriculture.Chief Secretary GC Pati has dashed a letter to Union Fertiliser Secretary Anuj Kumar Bishnoi urging him to allocate 2,86,000 MT of various fertilisers to the State for July.
CM Naveen Patnaik had also on May 11 met Union Minister Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh following which Singh had directed the Fertiliser Department to allocate 10.75 lakh ton of fertilisers to the State. However, as there has been delay in allocation of the same, the Chief Secretary has written a letter to allocate the same with immediate effect.
To streamline the fertiliser distribution in the State, the Government has made provision of corpus fund of Rs100 crore so as to enable the State agencies namely, Markfed and OAIS to lift fertilisers as per the need of the farmers, the CS has said.The Chief Secretary has requested the Union Secretary to allocate 1,45,000 MT urea, 66,000 MT complex fertiliser, 50,000 MT DAP, and 25,000 MT MOP for the month of July as the State Government has already placed its July requirement.