Gowda stressed on the need for PSUs to become self-sustainable, and said that in future, PSUs should not depend upon budgetary support from Government of India
Sadananda Gowda, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, held a review meeting with CMDs of fertilizers PSUs to take stock of performance of their PSUs as well as their preparedness for future.
The meeting was attended by Chhabilendra Roul, Secretary (Fertilizers) and Virendra Nath Datt, CMD, National Fertilizers Limited, SC Mudgerikar, CMD, Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilizers Limited, Kishor Rungta, CMD, The Fertilisers And Chemicals Travancore Limited, U Saravanan, CMD, Madras Fertilizers Limited, AK Ghosh, CMD Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Limited and Amar Singh Rathore, CMD, FCI Aravali Gypsum and Minerals India Limited.
In his opening remarks, Gowda congratulated fertilizer PSUs for their strong contribution in making fertilizers available to farmers by keeping their manufacturing units in operation, and ensuring distribution of urea and other fertilizers across the country, despite facing various hurdles during the lockdown period. Because of efforts of domestic companies and proactiveness of officers of Department of Fertilizers, there was no shortage of urea in the country, even when demand for urea shot up due to better than expected rainfall and substantial increase in area under farming Kharif season.
He asked CMDs of Fertilizer PSUs to gear up for upcoming Rabi season, and ensure that farmers get fertilizers in adequate quantity in time. He directed CMDs to chalk out a common strategy to encourage cashless transaction for sale of fertilizers to reduce diversion and leakages of subsidies in line.
Gowda stressed on the need for PSUs to become self-sustainable, and said that in future, PSUs should not depend upon budgetary support from Government of India. The need of the hour is to go for diversification of product basket, development of new products such as nano-fertilizers and customised fertilizers, technology up-gradation and if necessary, through revamping of existing plants if they have to sustain in future, and compete with private sector and imported fertilizers. He added that fertilizer PSUs should also be sensitive towards environmental concerns as introduction of any environment related policies in future may disrupt their viability.
Roul added that fertilizer PSUs should also continuously make efforts to strengthen their disaster management plan.
Source: PIB
