Union Minister Mandaviya bats for nano fertilisers

Union Minister for Health, Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday appealed to the states to popularise the indigenously developed nano fertilisers and replace chemical fertilisers with them.The farmers are given fertiliser bags, each at a cost of Rs 266 while the actual cost to the government is Rs 2,300, the union minister said.

Union Minister for Health, Chemicals, and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday appealed to the states to popularise the indigenously developed nano fertilizers and replace chemical fertilizers with them.

The farmers are given fertilizer bags, each for Rs 266 while the actual cost to the government is Rs 2,300, the union minister said. ''India's fertilizer consumption is 35 percent of the world's and India imports 70 lakh to 100 lakh metric tonnes every year,'' Mandaviya said during the inaugural session of the National Conference of State Agriculture and Horticulture Ministers here.

According to him, farmers are given fertilizer bags at Rs 266, which costs the government Rs 2,300. The country gives fertilizers to the farmers at a highly subsidized rate, he added.

''The Government of India spends Rs 2.5 lakh crore as subsidy on fertilizers, which is somewhat equivalent to the annual budget of any big state like Karnataka,'' Mandaviya said.

The Union Minister said Indian scientists have realized the problems faced by the government and developed nano fertilizers.

Each bottle of nano fertilizer is equivalent to a fertilizer bag and each bottle costs Rs 240.

''One crore nano fertilizer bottles are equal to four lakh tonnes of fertilizer bags. Can we popularise them? I, myself have used it in my 100 acres of land and found it very efficient,'' Mandaviya said.

The minister also said studies have been done on the nano fertilizer bottles and added that they were found to be safe and effective. Further, it is indigenous and a step towards 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

Mandaviya told the gathering that by 2025, nine nano fertilizer plants will be set up in the country with a target to replace two lakh metric tonnes of chemical fertilizers.

''We want to achieve one nation, one fertilizer in the coming days under the Bharatiya Jan Urvarak Yojana (Indian People's Fertiliser Scheme), which will be launched soon,'' the union minister said.

Mandaviya also appealed to the states to check the diversion of subsidized fertilizers to the industries.

He asked the states to set up their dashboards as the center has done under the Integrated Fertiliser Supply Management System (IFSMS) at the local level. Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Karnataka Agriculture Minister B C Patil, union ministers, and agriculture ministers from various states, and senior officials took part in the event.