Is There a Need for an Investigation into the Urea Shortage in Telangana?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- K. T. Rama Rao demands a thorough investigation into the urea shortage.
- The state faces a significant shortfall of 1.94 lakh metric tonnes.
- Urea prices have surged to ₹325 per 45 kg bag.
- The government's failure to implement agricultural support schemes is evident.
- Immediate action is required to address the shortage before the Kharif season.
Hyderabad, July 6 (NationPress) The Working President of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), K. T. Rama Rao, has called for an inquiry into the ongoing fertiliser shortage in Telangana.
He criticized the Congress-led government for the urea deficit, questioning why there is a statewide scarcity of 1.94 lakh metric tonnes. "How can the price of a urea sack, which should be ₹266.50, now reach ₹325? This needs clarification not only for farmers but for all citizens of the state," he expressed in a post on X.
"Who is orchestrating this black-market operation? Who is responsible for this artificial shortage, and which middlemen are stockpiling fertilisers? An immediate investigation is crucial," the BRS leader emphasized.
KTR questioned the government's inability to provide even a single sack of fertiliser to farmers despite making Aadhaar registration mandatory.
He alleged that the government has failed to execute the Rythu Bharosa scheme or to waive farm loans. Even with loans taken for agriculture, there remains a fertiliser scarcity.
The urea deficit poses a serious threat to agricultural operations during the Kharif season, with prices soaring to ₹325 per 45 kg bag, compared to the subsidized rate of ₹266.50 to ₹268.
Recently, Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao appealed to the Centre for immediate action to guarantee a timely and adequate supply of urea.
In his letter to Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, Jagat Prakash Nadda, he requested urgent measures to tackle the pressing urea shortage affecting the current agricultural season.
The state minister indicated that while the Centre had allocated five lakh tonnes of urea for April, May, and June, only 3.06 lakh tonnes were provided, resulting in a shortfall of 1.94 lakh tonnes.
Rao also reached out to Union Ministers from Telangana, G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay Kumar, urging them to plead with the Centre for the immediate supply of urea.