Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 17:
Agriculture Minister Ph Parijal Singh has announced a policy to solve the crisis of fertilisers shortage being faced by the farmers in Manipur.
Giving out the finer details of the new policy while addressing mediapersons at his Old Secretariat office chamber this afternoon, Parijat said that the farmers will be allowed to lift 18 metric tonne (360 bags) of fertilisers through their local MLAs from companies outside the State.
The bank drafts of the required amount have to be made in the name of the fertiliser company concerned and handed over to the Assistant Fertiliser Officer.
After this, the farmers can lift the fertilisers by arranging a truck with the capacity of carrying 18 metric tonne (360 bags) of fertilisers at any time they want.
The Minister further said that out of total State's quota of 40,000 metric tonne of fertilisers, so far only 11,400 metric tonne have been lifted.
Owing to imposition of economic blockade for such a long time, the Government decided to increase and temporarily fix the cost of one bag of fertliser as Rs 350 from the earlier rats of Rs 300, after a high level meeting attended by Chief Minister himself, he said.
Despite having lifted economic blockade, the cost of fertiliser per bag would remain as Rs 350 for the time being, since a large amount had been deducted as road tax, the Minister said.
One fertiliser dealer identified as Pishak has been taken into police custody as he was selling the fertiliser at a rate higher than the one fix by the Government, Parijat pointed out.
Refuting the charges levelled against him by MSCP president M Hemanta as 'false and baseless'.