Fertiliser cos to get subsidy for customised products via DBT

Fertiliser firms will have to buy from retailers the products like urea and DAP for manufacturing crop-specific soil nutrients in order to avail subsidy from the government under the current DBT system.

This interim arrangement has been made for the next six months following a court order on a petition filed by some fertiliser makers seeking subsidy on mixed/customised products under the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

The government has introduced DBT in fertiliser sector from April under which subsidy is given to companies only after the product is sold to farmers at retail point through the point of sale (PoS) machines.

Fertiliser manufacturers were able to get the subsidy on main products like urea, potash and DAP, but could not avail the incentive on sale of mixed fertilisers, forcing them to knock the door of the court.

On the court's direction, the fertiliser ministry has now notified an interim solution for sale of subsidised fertilisers to mixed/customised fertiliser manufacturing units under DBT system.

As per the laid procedure, the state agriculture department will approve a quantity of subsidised fertilisers required to be purchased by each licenced mixed/customised fertiliser makers.

The companies, which have got the quantity approved in writing by the state, will buy from a retailer using authorised Aadhar number of any of its employees.

Retailers will sell that specified quantity and type of fertilizer through PoS machines using authorised employee's Aadhar number.

Retailers have been asked to retain the copy of two authorisation letters -- one by the state government for quantity approved and second the fertiliser maker authorising employee to buy the fertiliser.

Both retailers and mixed fertilisers makers have been asked to maintain a separate register for purchase, production and sale of the final product.

These registers will be periodically checked once in every three months by the state agriculture department