Urea provision to be based on land verification: Biswajit
Minister vows steps to check urea diversion to poppy growers
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 11 2022: Agriculture minister Th Biswajit has informed that the department will be dispatching held staff to verify the arable land for systemic distribution of urea to prevent any shortage and ensure the same is being sold at the rate fixed by the government.

On Monday, the department of Agriculture organised a function to felicitate the newly appointed minister in-charge of the department, Th Biswajit, at the conference hall of the Director of Agriculture, Sanjenthong.

The function was attended by Department of Agriculture administrative secretary M Joy, Department director N Gojendra and district officials.

Responding to newspersons on the sidelines of the function, minister Biswajit informed that after discussing with the Chief Minister, the department has begun making a plan for systemic distribution of urea to prevent shortage of the same, as experienced every year by the farmers.

Highlighting the instances of "missing" urea while the farmers were facing acute shortage, the minister said that every bag distributed will be checked under the system to prevent any "missing" cases.

He then commented on the occurrences of man-made wildlife fires, which have cropped up everywhere recently.

The divisional forest officers concerned would be utilizing drones to monitor the situation.

Additionally, there have been reports of loads of pesticides being transported to the hill districts, particularly in Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Senapati.

The pesticides are sprayed onto the grass and shrubberies in the hills and then set on fire after drying, after which salt will be sprinkled onto the land to make it suitable for growing poppies.

"The poppy seeds are sown mostly in the month of May and as such, the planters would try to procure huge quantities of urea for the same.

Thus, the state government will be closely monitoring the matter", he conveyed.

Biswajit continued: "The sincere farmers must submit applications to the district agriculture officer of their respective districts for taking the urea.

The district agriculture officers will be opening their respective toll free numbers through which the farmers can request the amount of urea they require.

The officers would then dispatch their field staff to locate and verify the agricultural' lands of the farmers before providing the urea.

Tenant farmers can also contact.

the toll free numbers for their urea requirement.

Thus, this systemic distribution will ensure the farmers face anymore shortage of urea.

The district agriculture officers have already voiced their support towards the system".

Informing that the department has begun stockpiling urea in godowns, the minister said that it will soon be distributed to the districts.

Biswajit also informed that a 'Farmers Meet cum Interaction Programme' will be held at City Convention Centre, Palace Compound on April 13 to discuss the inconveniences faced by the farmers.

The meet will also be attended by Chief Minister N Biren, he added and urged the representatives of various farmer organisations to join the programme.

The agriculture minister then said that the department will be installing a kiosk in each district to facilitate farmers or people having a home garden to avail l-2kg of urea, as is being done in other states and aboard.

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