Imphal, October 06: Assuring that a sum of around Rs 3 to 4 crores would be allocated in the Budget from the next fiscal year 2009-10 to ensure adequate supply of fertiliser in time to the farmers, Agriculture Minister N Loken today informed the House that steps would be taken up to blacklist those dealers who do not have enough capital and godowns of their own.

In response to a call attention motion raised by CPI MLA N Mangi in connection with the problem faced by the farmers as fertiliser quota of the State could not be lifted in time during the morning session of the Assembly today, Minister Loken said that to solve the problem of shortage of fertilisers supply to the farmers as a result of sole dependence on the dealers, a sum of around Rs 3 to 4 crores would be kept aside in the budget from the nextt fiscal year.

This would help in ensuring adequate supply of fertiliser to the farmers, the Minister said.

The Minister further informed that House that unlike in the past when the Government of India gave permission for lifting fertilizer from the factories of NEEPCO, UPACO and Namrup, this year permission had been given for lifting only from Namrup factory.

Till the month of June, there was adequate stock of fertilisers in the possession of the dealers.

However, following some technical problem in the Namrup factory, a situation had come in which not more than three trucks could be loaded from the factory.

So taking serious note of the matter, officials had despatched and ensured loading of around 160 trucks.

Unfortunately, the trucks got stranded along the way due to heavy landslides in Nagaland, thus leading to the problem of fertiliser shortage, the Minister explained.

Informing that there are in all 62 fertiliser dealers in Manipur, the Minister said that it has been detected that some of the dealers have not been carrying out their duties properly.

So steps have been taken up to identity those dealers who do have not enough capital and godown of their own to be blacklisted.

From April to September this year, in all 16,600 matric tonne of urea had been lifted, the Minister said.

Earlier, moving the call attention motion, MLA Mangi pointed out that as the required fertiliser had not been made available to the farmers during the month of August, there is the possibility that the production would come down this year.

Demanding to know the quantity of fertiliser lifted from May to July this year, the MLA wanted to know the reasons why the allocated State quota of fertiliser had not been lifted in time.

Furthermore, demanding to know how many dealers have been ordered to lift how much matric tonne of fertiliser, the MLA observed that the shortage of fertiliser supply in the State was mainly due to appointment of dealers who do not have own their godown and trucks and borrowed money from others for the purpose.

The present system should be changed and some fund should be allocated in the budget along with cancellation of the names of the transporters who exist only on paper, the MLA suggested.

Urging for keeping adequate fertiliser in stock for the Rabi crops as well, the MLA also drew the attention of the Chairman of the House to take up all the assurances given in the House by the Ministers to the notice of the Assurance Committee so as to ensure that the same are implemented.

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