11 persons were jailed under the Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies (PBM) Act
Multipronged measures are being taken by the Department of Fertilisers, Government of India for deterrence against any malpractices and to ensure quality fertilisers for the farmers, under the directions of Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers. These measures have resulted in averting the diversion and black marketing of fertilisers in the country.
Special teams of dedicated officers called Fertiliser Flying Squads (FFS) have been formed to keep a strict vigil and to check diversion, black marketing, hoarding and supply of sub-standard quality fertilisers across the country.
The Fertiliser Flying Squads have conducted over 370 surprise inspections across 15 states/UTs which included mixture units, Single Superphosphate (SSP) units and NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) units. Consequentially, 30 FIRs have been registered for diversion of urea, and 70,000 bags have been seized of suspected urea (from Gujarat, Kerala, Haryana, Rajasthan and Karnataka (excl. GSTN seizure). Of which 26199 bags have been disposed of as per FCO guidelines). The FFS has also inspected three border districts of Bihar (Araria, Purnia, W.Champaran) and 3 FIRs have been filed against urea diverting units; 10 including 3 mixture manufacturing units in border districts have been de-authorised.
112 mixture manufacturers have been deauthorised due to several discrepancies and lapses found in documentation and procedures. Sample testing has also been ramped up with 268 samples tested as of now, of which 89 (33 per cent) have been declared sub-standard and 120 (45 per cent) found with neem oil content. For the first time, 11 persons have been jailed under the Prevention of Blackmarketing and Maintenance of Supplies (PBM) Act for the diversion and black marketing of urea in the last year. Several other legal and administrative proceedings have also been exercised by states through the Essential Commodities (EC) Act and Fertiliser Control Order (FCO).
