CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal called on Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers Ram Vilas Paswan at his residence on Wednesday for the adequate and uninterrupted supply of fertilizers for the Kharif 2007.

Briefing Paswan, the Chief Minister informed that the total requirement of Urea and DAP for the Kharif season was 12.5 lac MT and 2.5 lac MT respectively.  He urged the Union Minister to ensure the supply of these quantities in time to save the farmers from inconvenience.  

Responding to the demand raised by Badal, the Union Minister assured that there would be no shortage of fertilizers in Punjab during the ensuing Kharif season.  He agreed to enhance the Urea allocation to the state under Essential Commodities Act (ECA) to 7 lac MT and also assured to get 50000 MT of imported DAP dispatched to the state to meet the immediate demand of the farmers of cotton belt. He further promised that 3.5 lac MT of DAP would be stocked in the state by 1st October so that no shortage was experienced for timely sowing of wheat during Rabi 2007-08.  

Paswan complimented Punjab for being the 'bread basket' of the country and remarked that 'it is a critical state for our national food security and it will not be allowed to suffer due to the shortage of fertilizers in any case'.

Meanwhile, Secretary Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers SK Sarma clarified that freight for Urea shall be paid to the suppliers on actual basis and a similar decision was likely to be taken in case of DAP therefore, the problem of Punjab being located away from the manufacturing units/ports would be solved to a greater extent.   

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Financial Commissioner Development GS Sandhu, Financial Commissioner Cooperation Kusumjit Sidhu Principal Secretary to CM DS Guru, MD Punjab Agro Himmat Singh Additional Principal Secretary to CM Gagandeep Singh Brar and Director Agriculture BS Sidhu.