Fertilizer crisis: Govt suspends 2 DAOs, FIR lodged against 287 retailers

The district agriculture officers (DAOs) of Rohtas and Araria have been suspended and action being taken against many others for their alleged involvement in black marketing of fertilizers in the state, Bihar’s agriculture minister Amarendra Pratap Singh said in the state Legislative Council on Monday.

The district agriculture officers (DAOs) of Rohtas and Araria have been suspended and action being taken against many others for their alleged involvement in black marketing of fertilizers in the state, Bihar’s agriculture minister Amarendra Pratap Singh said in the state Legislative Council on Monday.

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on his way to attend the budget session on Monday. (Santosh Kumar/HT Photo)

Responding to questions of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) member Ram Chandra Purbe and Janata Dal (United) leader Sanjiv Kumar Singh, the minister said the department had initiated the process to suspend 10 block agriculture officers and two agriculture coordinators and launch disciplinary proceedings against them. “Besides, salary of a joint director rank officer and two other DAOs has been held up and they have been issued showcause notice by the state government,” the minister said.

MLCs of the RJD and JD(U) had alleged short supply of important fertilizers, including urea, which had led to rampant black marketing of the manure and farmers of Bihar were being forced to buy them at exorbitant prices.

Sunil Kumar Singh of RJD claimed Bihar received about 10 lakh metric tonne fertilizers less than the last year, while Purbe claimed fertilizers are being smuggled to Nepal in connivance with the agriculture officers and intermediaries.

The minister informed the council that a total of 8,860 raids were carried out, 1,492 instances of irregularities were detected and 287 FIRs were lodged against the vendors of fertilizers across the state during the kharif and rabi seasons of 2021-22. “Licenses of 448 suppliers of fertilizers have been cancelled, while around 700 firms have been asked to clarify the charges of irregularities. The farmers’ helpline received as many as 329 complaints of irregularities and 58 cases were found true, while eight FIRs were lodged,” said the minister.

Incentives on lemon grass farming

Agriculture minister AP Singh said the state agriculture department would undertake a campaign to encourage farmers to grow lemon grass and avail the financial assistance from the government for boosting their income substantially.

Responding to a query of JD(U) member Niraj Kumar in the legislative council, the minister said that government was giving a grant of ₹20,000/hectare to farmers for cultivating lemon grass, whose by-products, mainly oil, are high in demands on other states including Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Bengal.

The minister said that currently lemon grass was being grown on 30 hectares in Barachatti area of Gaya under the special central assistance scheme in coordination with the horticulture and forest departments. “The state government might consider providing subsidy to the entrepreneurs, who wish to invest in processing of lemon grass and other aromatic plants,” he said.