States told to take action against black-marketing of

The Centre has asked state governments to take appropriate action against black-marketing of subsidised fertilisers, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and fertilisers Rao Inderjit Singh said today.

Singh said in Lok Sabha that during the last three years, some cases of black-marketing and smuggling of subsidised fertilisers have been reported by state governments which include eight cases of black-marketing in 2015-16, two cases of black-marketing and one case of smuggling in 2017-18.

The minister said under the Fertiliser (Control) Order, 1985, state governments are adequately empowered to take appropriate administrative and legal action against those not complying with the provision of the order.

"Department of Fertilisers has, from time to time, written to chief secretaries of various states to activate enforcement agencies under the jurisdiction to take appropriate action to curb black-marketing and smuggling of subsidised fertilisers," he said during Question Hour.