What actions have been taken against seed and fertiliser violations by the Rajasthan government?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Jaipur, Feb 20 (NationPress) The Agriculture Minister of Rajasthan, Kirodi Lal Meena, announced in the Assembly on Friday that the state government has successfully guaranteed a sufficient supply of fertilisers for farmers, often surpassing the existing demand.
He also mentioned that the government is taking firm measures against black marketers and individuals involved in the sale of adulterated fertilisers and seeds.
The Minister highlighted that the Central Government is preparing to implement a rigorous law aimed at ensuring the quality and continuous supply of seeds and fertilisers, which may include penalties of up to 20 years of imprisonment and fines reaching Rs 20 lakh for breaches.
In response to supplementary inquiries posed by MLA Shri Ghanshyam during the Question Hour, Meena noted that effective state management has averted the type of fertiliser distribution challenges that were prevalent during the previous administration.
He elaborated that the prolonged monsoon season has sustained soil moisture levels and expanded the sowing area.
According to Meena, for the fiscal year 2024-25, the government has made available 29.29 lakh metric tonnes of urea against a demand of 26.20 lakh metric tonnes.
He also mentioned that an additional one lakh metric tonnes of urea and 50,000 metric tonnes of DAP will be reserved for the months of February and March.
Meena indicated that officers have been assigned to fertiliser distribution centres, where strict quality control protocols are being implemented.
He further informed the Assembly that 27 factories have been sealed due to violations related to seeds and fertilisers.
In comparing the last five years of Congress governance with the current two-year term, he remarked that while no FIRs were filed in seed-related matters previously, five FIRs have now been registered.
In a written response to the original question, the Minister mentioned that a request for 11.50 lakh metric tonnes of urea and 6.00 lakh metric tonnes of DAP for Kharif 2024 (April–September 2024) was submitted to the Government of India on February 5, 2024.
For Rabi 2024–25 (October 2024–March 2025), a demand of 15.00 lakh metric tonnes of urea and 4.50 lakh metric tonnes of DAP was communicated on August 21, 2024.
In a similar manner, the request for Kharif 2025 (April–September 2025) - 12.00 lakh metric tonnes of urea and 6.00 lakh metric tonnes of DAP - was sent on January 31, 2025. For Rabi 2025–26 (October 2025-March 2026), a demand of 15.00 lakh metric tonnes of urea and 3.50 lakh metric tonnes of DAP was submitted on August 8, 2025.
He confirmed that all requests were forwarded to the Government of India punctually during zonal conferences preceding the crop seasons.
Additionally, 2.61 lakh metric tonnes of NPK and 4.73 lakh metric tonnes of Single Super Phosphate (SSP) were provided as alternatives to DAP, ensuring a consistent supply of fertilisers throughout the state.