Ample Urea Available, Assures Naidu; Condemns False Campaign
Naidu said as of today, 94,892 metric tonnes of urea is available in the state.
Vijayawada: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday made it clear that there is no shortage of fertilisers in Andhra Pradesh. He dismissed reports of urea scarcity as “baseless propaganda” by opposition parties.
Speaking to media at the Secretariat, the CM underlined that urea as well as other fertilisers are available in adequate quantities. Steps are being taken to ensure that they are supplied to farmers in a timely manner. Emphasising that 6.65 lakh metric tonnes of urea is currently available in the state, while another 2.71 lakh metric tonnes will soon arrive, Chandrababu Naidu appealed to farmers not to get carried away by YSRC’s false propaganda about the shortage of urea and fertilisers. “Serious action will be taken against those who are resorting to false campaigns on the social media platforms,” he stated.
The Chief Minister, however, appealed to farmers not to use urea, fertilisers and pesticides in excess, as these may lead to health problems among people. He reiterated his government’s commitment to welfare of farmers by providing all farm inputs, including sufficient water. He pointed out that the state government has recently remitted ₹7,000 into each of the eligible farmers’ accounts. In a significant disclosure, Chandrababu Naidu said the state government is planning to provide a subsidy to farmers who minimise usage of fertilisers and pesticides using drone technology. He said some districts, including Nellore, Tirupati and Palnadu, are using huge quantities of urea, while Srikakulam, ASR, Manyam and Vizianagaram districts consume much lower quantities of the commodities. Making a PowerPoint presentation on the availability of urea and fertilisers in all districts, the Chief Minister explained that sufficient stocks are available in all the districts.
“However, some people, in the guise of farmers, are trying to create panic among farmers by resorting to false campaigns on the shortage of urea and fertilisers,” he charged. Citing the example of four YSRC men of Krishna district, who made a hue and cry in the guise of farmers, Chandrababu Naidu said the government will act tough with such persons. He instructed district collectors to monitor distribution of urea and fertilisers to farmers daily to ensure that each farmer gets sufficient quantities of the farm inputs. the supply of urea to each and every farmer. He said as of today, 94,892 metric tonnes of urea is available in the state. Central government has allotted another 53,000 metric tonnes of urea on Tuesday. Those present at the press conference included Agriculture minister K. Atchannaidu and senior officials
