Connect with:
Sunday / December 22. 2024

logo
mobile-logo
HomePosts Tagged "black marketing"
Agro chems – Fertilizers, AgroPolicy, India, Supply Chain

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).

11 persons were jailed under the Prevention

AgroPolicy, Seeds, Sustainability

Discussions were held on the need for cooperation of the state governments and the Centre so that awareness is raised among farmers across the country

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar presided over a national webinar on ‘Seed Chain Development.’ Tomar said the state governments, in consultation with the Central Government, should prepare a roadmap for 10-15 years for the benefit of farmers. He said it should be ensured that the farmers get timely supply of good quality seeds. State governments should strictly curb black marketing and those selling fake seeds.

Tomar said, “Availability of good seeds for farming increases production and productivity, resulting in higher income for farmers and raising the share of agriculture in GDP besides benefitting our agriculture and the nation’s economy. Planning should be done for adequate supply of seeds of crops like pulses-oilseeds, cotton etc.”

Tomar said that the cooperation of the state governments is also necessary for seed traceability, so that awareness is raised among farmers across the country and they can take rightful decision regarding the seeds for their plantation as per the requirement.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shobha Karandlaje said it should be ensured that the varieties of seeds developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research reach the farmers at the grassroots level. Along with this, the states should work in a planned manner at the district level on all aspects related to the agriculture sector, so that the farmers do not face any problem.

Addressing the webinar, the Union Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja said that arrangements should be made to provide quality seeds to the farmers right down to the Panchayat level, while awareness should be raised among the farmers about testing of seed quality. 

Additional Secretary, Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Abhilaksh Likhi and other senior officers were present in the programme. Senior officials of the Agriculture Department of the states and the representatives of the seed corporations of the centre and the states joined the webinar virtually. The webinar was conducted by Ashwini Kumar, Joint Secretary (Seeds). He informed that the government is working for setting up seed testing laboratories at the panchayat level.

Discussions were held on the need for