Urea allocation to Telangana slashed by RFCL despite CM’s request

RFCL has slashed urea allocations to Telangana, supplying only 10,000 tonnes so far this year, compared to over 1.14 lakh tonnes last year. CM Revanth Reddy raised the issue with the Centre. Farmers have staged protests amid the ongoing Vanakalam season.

Peddapalli: Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL) has reduced the allocation of urea to Telangana. Despite Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s representation to the union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, JP Nadda, RFCL has not received any instruction from the central government regarding the enhancement of allocations.

The Department of Fertilizers has to issue orders in this regard. Utilisation of urea has increased as the cultivation process of the Vanakalam season has picked up momentum. So, farmers are mounting pressure on the state government for the supply of fertilizer. There are incidents of farmers standing in queues and staging protests for urea across the state. Compared to last year, 1.14 lakh tonnes of urea was cut down this year.

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Over 1.14 lakh tonnes of urea had been supplied from April to July last year. However, a meagre quantity of about 10,000 tonnes has been supplied so far this year. Moreover, the quota for the month of July was also reduced to 30,000 tonnes from 60,000 tonnes. Of that, only 10,000 tonnes has been supplied so far. Another 7,000 tonnes was supplied to the state from Krishnapatnam under the National Fertilizer quota.

A difficult situation will develop if urea is not supplied in the next fortnight. It requires at least 60,000 to 80,000 tonnes of urea by the end of this month. Decline in production is said to be the reason for the reduction in allocation. Urea production has stalled as the plant was shut down for two months this year.

Peddapalli MP G Vamshikrishna, who recently visited RFCL, found fault with the Union government led by the BJP for showing discrimination against Telangana by reducing urea allocations to the state. The MP on Tuesday gave a representation to Rajat Kumar Mishra, Secretary, Department of Fertilizers, requesting him to enhance urea allocation to Telangana. Vamshikrishna, in a statement, informed that the Secretary has assured to take steps to supply 2.7 lakh tonnes of urea to Telangana.