Haryana Govt in Opposition's firing line on DAP & urea shortage

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 21

The BJP-JJP government came in the firing line of the Opposition — Congress and INLD — on the issue of the acute shortage of diammonium phosphate (DAP) and urea fertilisers, which was threatening to derail the rabi sowing plans of the farmers.

Dalal’s segment affected too

What to talk about the rest of Haryana, the Agriculture Minister has even failed to ensure adequate fertilisers in his own Loharu segment in Bhiwani. — Kiran Choudhry, Congress MLA

Sufficient stock available

There’s no fertiliser crunch in the state. For sowing wheat and mustard, the state govt has sufficient quantity of fertilisers available. — JP Dalal, Agriculture Minister

The state government, especially Agriculture Minister JP Dalal, was repeatedly under attack from the Opposition for its failure to ensure the adequate supply of fertilisers, during a discussion on the calling attention moved by the INLD and Congress MLAs.

Targeting Dalal, Congress leader Kiran Choudhry alleged that the minister was trying to mislead the House as the fertiliser shortage had upset the plans of the farmers to sow the rabi crops, especially wheat and mustard.

Congress’ Jagbir Malik echoed the same sentiment, alleging that the fact that the fertilisers were being distributed under the police protection showed the government’s failure to arrange the adequate supply.

Launching a scathing attack on the government, INLD leader Abhay Chautala alleged that the minister’s claims were far away from the ground reality as the farmers were running from pillar to post to get fertilisers.

Putting up a spirited defence, Dalal, however, claimed that there was no shortage of fertilisers in the state. He claimed that till now, about 6.93 lakh metric tonne (LMT) of urea, 2.82 LMT of DAP, over 1 LMT of SSP, more than 41,000 MT of NPK was available. Of this, 6.24 LMT of urea, 2.60 LMT of DAP, 79,000 MT of SSP and 38,661 MT of NPK had been provided to the state farmers, Dalal added.