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In the backdrop of a fertiliser shortage in Uttar Pradesh, the state government has clamped down on black marketers.
Under the ongoing drive to curb the urea black marketing, 1,911 raids were conducted and licences of 148 shops were suspended, while sale from three shops was prohibited. Besides, 37 tonnes of urea were confiscated, warning issued to 104 shopkeepers and nine establishments sealed.
In a meeting here to review requirement of urea for farmers, Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan directed officials to ensure availability of urea to farmers at the specified rates, while checking black marketing.
He also asked officials to follow up with the Centre to get fertiliser according to the demand. Ranjan stressed 0.85 million tonnes (mt) of urea allocated for December be obtained from the Centre.
Ranjan warned officials over slackness in ensuring urea supply to farmers and ordered for action against sellers who overcharged than the specified rates.
He said in view of urea demand in the state, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking the allotment of one mt of urea for January 2015.
Yadav told Modi the Centre had allotted only 3.5 mt of urea, against the demand of 3.8 mt for the Rabi crop. Besides, he said Uttar Pradesh had not received urea according to the specified allotment of 3.5 mt for October and November.
The state received only 0.5 mt of urea, against the allotment of 0.64 mt for October. Similarly, 0.56 mt was received, against the allotment of 0.65 mt for November.
Yadav emphasised it was imperative that 11-12 racks of urea was provided to UP daily to meet the target of supplying balance of 0.43 mt for December.
