'No shortage of urea', Telangana Minister assures farmers

Hyderabad, Aug 24 (IANS) Telangana Minister for Industries D. Sridhar Babu has assured farmers that there will be no shortage of urea in the state.

He alleged that the opposition parties were trying to mislead farmers with baseless claims.

“The Telangana Government stands firmly with our farmers, and we assure them that there will be no shortage of urea in the State. Opposition parties are trying to mislead farmers with baseless claims, but the truth is simple, that every step is being taken to ensure uninterrupted supply and protect their interests,” Sridhar Babu said in a post on ‘X’ on Sunday.

The minister stated that during the review meeting held with senior officials, the functioning of Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL) was examined, and concern that the plant had operated only 40 out of 145 days this season has been raised. The RFCL and its parent company, NFL, have been directed to take immediate corrective measures and, in the meantime, ensure that at least one rake of urea is supplied daily to Telangana from other plants, he said.

“For us, RFCL is not just an industry but a development partner in Telangana’s growth. Until production stabilizes, the State Government will continue to closely monitor the situation and, if necessary, escalate the matter with the Centre. Farmers can be confident that their needs will always remain our top priority,” said Sridhar Babu.

Meanwhile, the state government has stepped up efforts to overcome the urea shortage. It is arranging the procurement of nearly 40,000 tonnes within a week.

Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao on Saturday reviewed the situation with RFCL CEO Alok Singhal and NFCL Telangana sales manager K. Rajesh. The minister noted that Telangana was yet to receive 62,473 tonnes of urea from RFCL as part of its allocation. He warned that delays in supply were causing serious difficulties for farmers and could harm standing kharif crops

The agriculture minister urged RFCL to take immediate steps to deliver the pending quota without further delay. He wanted officials to ensure that at least half of the required urea is dispatched to Telangana this week, either from RFCL or NFCL, so that farmers’ cultivation activities are not disrupted.

--IANS

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