Punjab govt assures farmers of adequate fertiliser supply

The Punjab government today assured farmers of adequate supply of fertilisers for the rabi (winter) season.
While reviewing DAP (Diammonium phosphate) and urea demand and supplies in state cooperative sector here today, additional chief secretary cooperation D P Reddy expressed satisfaction over the efforts of Markfed for advance stocking and timely supply to the societies, an official release said.
Markfed Managing Director Arshdeep Singh Thind informed in the meeting that 90 per cent DAP and 82 per cent urea had already been supplied by Markfed.
In spite of tight position of urea at national level, Markfed has pre-positioned its fertilizer stocks and there was no report of shortage of urea in any corner of state.

Giving details, he said against 1.42 lacs metric tonnes (MTs) of DAP indents, Markfed had supplied 1.28 lakhs MTs and over 3 lakhs MTs Urea had already been supplied against indents of 3.64 lakhs MTs.
"Stocks are available with Markfed and daily supplies are being made", he informed.

Reddy expressed satisfaction over fertilizer supplies but expressed his displeasure over fewer receipts of payments from societies as only 46 percent payments have been received by Markfed against sale of fertilizers.
Directing the field officers to ensure 100 percent payments by December 31 he asked the JRs and DRs that no laxity would be tolerated at any cost and strict action to be taken against the erring officers who fails to achieve the targets.

While reviewing the debt relief scheme, financial commissioner cooperation asked the cooperative officers to update and verify the data of eligible marginal farmers covered under the scheme at the earliest so that no beneficiary could be left out of the debt waiver plan.
He said Punjab has developed a web portal to eliminate double financing or multiple financing and an amount of Rs 2,710 crore to be paid to about 5.17 lakhs farmers by the state government.