New govt blames previous Cong regime for urea shortage in HR

Haryana Agriculture Minister O P Dhankar today blamed the previous Congress government for not placing orders well in advance for the purchase of Urea and other fertilisers from June to October last year.
"Due to this, tenders could not materialise resulting into scare of urea shortage throughout the state and farmers adopted to panic buying," Dhankar was replying to the question raised by BJP MLA Ghansham Das Arora regarding the supply of urea in the State during the question hour of ongoing Budget Session of Haryana assembly here today.
Dhankar informed that supply of 17.89 lakh metric tonnes of urea was made during 2013-14 whereas 19.06 lakh metric tonne urea has been supplied during the year 2014-15.

He said that as the rate of urea is costlier by Rs 65 and Rs 13 respectively in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, the possibilities of black marketing had increased.
This was the only reason as the assistance of police was taken in distribution of urea, he added.
The Minister apprised that 1.35 lakh metric tonne urea was allocated in October 2014 as compared to 1.84 lakh metric tonne in 2013.

He said that on the request made by him to Union Minister for Chemical and Fertilizers, an additional one lakh metric tonnes of urea was allocated to Haryana.
Giving details of allocation of urea, he said that 1.90 lakh metric tonnes urea was allocated in November 2014, 3.42 lakh metric tonnes in December 2014 and 2.55 lakh metric tonnes in January 2015.

He apprised that there was no shortage of urea this year, but despite of this, the leaders of opposition parties allegedly deliberately created misconception among the people about the urea shortage.
Dhankar informed that the proposal for management of fertilisers for Kharif Season 2015 has already been sent to Centre under which an approval has been sought for the advance storage of 25 per cent urea.
He also said that the new scheme 'Atal Kheti Badi Khata Yojna' for the better crop management of farmers would be implemented in two months.
Under this scheme, farmers would be made available unique IDs having details like crop planning of farmer for the next season, bank account etc. On basis of this, farmers could be given facilities like subsidy and other benefits.

Meanwhile, to another question raised in the Assembly during the Question Hour, Haryana Public Works (Building and Roads) Minister Rao Narbir Singh said that the state government has proposed to install 800 MW capacity of thermal power project in place of old four units of 110-110 MW capacity of Thermal Plant in Panipat.