Availability and affordability of fertilizers in India during COVID-19 Pandemic
05 February 2021, New Delhi, IN: Post Covid-19 outbreak, keeping in view the field demand of various fertilizers, the following steps were taken:
Department of Fertilizer was in regular touch with the states/UT, the fertilizers companies, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Railways so as to ensure timely redressal of issues related to supply chain and thereby ensuring smooth supply of fertilizers.
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The Department has been closely monitoring the availability of fertilizers in all the States through on-line web based monitoring system called Integrated Fertilizer Monitoring System (IFMS). The required relaxations for Fertilizer production, movement were sought timely from MHA and those were addressed on priority basis. Similarly, Ministry of Railways was conveyed the sensitivity involved for ensuring timely availability of fertilizers to the farmers and the same was addressed on real time basis.
From April’20 to January’21 nearly 2214 additional Railway rakes were deployed (as compared to the corresponding period of last year) to timely transport the fertilizers to various corners of the country.
The gap between the assessed requirement and estimated production of urea, has been met through imports, which have been done timely, so as to ensure sufficient availability across the country.
Throughout there has been close monitoring of movement and availability of all the fertilizers through real time coordination with State Governments/Fertilizer companies/Railways etc.
Thus, with the steps as indicated above, Department of Fertilizers has beenable to ensures availability of fertilizers at the State level. The distribution within the state is the mandate of the respective State Governments.
The information was given by the Union Minister for Education Ministry, Shri D. V. Sadananda Gowda in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
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