The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today accused the Centre of failing to increase production of fertilisers in the country, saying it had put a heavy burden on poor farmers.
SAD president and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, in a release here, said, "Instead of taking concrete steps to increase production of fertilisers, the Congress-led UPA government opted for transferring this burden on poor peasants by decontrolling the fertiliser sector."
"The UPA government has failed to increase fertilisers production, leading to imports of 475.29 lakh tonnes of fertilisers during last nine years and an outgo of Rs 79,743 crore by way of subsidies," he alleged.
Badal said, "This subsidy could have been saved and used for farmers if the government had assured supply of natural gas on long term basis to fertiliser industry and revamped the pipeline connectivity to increase the production."
"The UPA government decontrolled the fertiliser sector by introducing nutrient-based formula which led to doubling the price of DAP within six months, raising the price of urea and further cut fertilisers subsidy by 15 per cent," he said.
The state Congress leadership would, however, not take up these issues with their party high command, he claimed.
