Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 150
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Deprecated (16384): The ArrayAccess methods will be removed in 4.0.0.Use getParam(), getData() and getQuery() instead. - /home/brlfuser/public_html/src/Controller/ArtileDetailController.php, line: 151
 You can disable deprecation warnings by setting `Error.errorLevel` to `E_ALL & ~E_USER_DEPRECATED` in your config/app.php. [CORE/src/Core/functions.php, line 311]
Warning (512): Unable to emit headers. Headers sent in file=/home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php line=853 [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 48]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 148]
Warning (2): Cannot modify header information - headers already sent by (output started at /home/brlfuser/public_html/vendor/cakephp/cakephp/src/Error/Debugger.php:853) [CORE/src/Http/ResponseEmitter.php, line 181]
LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Fertiliser subsidy to hit Rs 1 lakh crore; ministry to seek more funds by Rituraj Tiwari

Fertiliser subsidy to hit Rs 1 lakh crore; ministry to seek more funds by Rituraj Tiwari

Share this article Share this article
published Published on Feb 8, 2012   modified Modified on Feb 8, 2012

The fertiliser ministry may seek more funds from the finance ministry to meet its subsidy obligations as it needs more than the allocated amount to take care of the rising subsidy bill, a top official said. 

"We have already received 17,700 crore in addition to the budgetary allocation of around 50,000 crore. But we still need more funds, and the amount will be finalised in consultation with the finance ministry," said fertiliser secretary Ajay Bhattacharya. 

The final subsidy bill, it is believed, could breach the 1 lakh-crore mark. 

The ministry is ready with the new urea policy which aims to increase domestic supply and reduce dependence on imports. "India has not seen any investment in urea since 1999. We are proposing assured guarantee post-tax returns of minimum 12% and a maximum 18% to private investors. Besides, we would factor in the fluctuating raw material prices while calculating margins. We will also allow gas prices to pass through," he said. 

The government is also working on the revival plan of 8 closed fertiliser units including five units of Fertiliser Corporation of India Ltd (FCIL)'s Talcher, Sindri, Ramagundam, Gorakhpur and Korba, and three closed units of Hindustan Fertiliser Corporation Ltd. (HFCL) at Durgapur, Haldia, Barauni. "While few plants will be given to PSUs for revival, others will be awarded through the bidding route," Bhattacharya said. 

During the past two decades, as irrigation facilities and coverage increased, farmers shifted their choice of crops, from food crops to cash crops. This has led to greater use of fertilisers in the kharif season. The annual demand for urea in the country is around 28 million tonnes out of which 22 million tonnes are indigenously produced. 

"The pressure to produce more foodgrains will result in to consumption of more urea and an increased subsidy burden. This year, the subsidy on urea alone is likely to cross 25,000 crore," said an official. 

In India, there are basically two components of fertilisers - urea and NPK (nitrogen-phosphorus-potash). The government's subsidy bill is swelling every year as the market price of urea, which constitutes more than half the total fertiliser consumption in India, is determined by the government. 

The government has to pay the difference between production cost and the market price as subsidy. While for NPK, there is nutrient-based subsidy (NBS) where producers fix the price.


The Economic Times, 8 February, 2012, http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/indl-goods-/-svs/chem-/-fertilisers/fertiliser-subsidy-to-hit-rs-1-lakh-crore-ministry-to-seek-more-fund


Related Articles

 

Write Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

Video Archives

Archives

share on Facebook
Twitter
RSS
Feedback
Read Later

Contact Form

Please enter security code
      Close