Nashik Division's Urea Fertilizer Scandal: 80% Diverted to Black Market

MTA News Service, Nashik: Serious allegations of local political hand behind the black marketing of urea fertilizer provided at subsidized prices for farmers have come to the fore. It is estimated that in Nashik division, subsidized urea of about 1120 crore rupees is being black marketed in kharif and rabi seasons. In fact, the government gives a huge subsidy on urea fertilizer as a relief to farmers; however, about 80 percent of this subsidized urea is being diverted to the black market and only 20 percent of the urea is reaching the farmers directly. The cost is about 1400 crore rupees. The government subsidizes about 40 thousand rupees per ton of urea. Accordingly, the total subsidy cost of the government for this department is about 1400 crore rupees. If 80 percent of this urea goes to the black market, then about 1120 crore rupees of subsidized fertilizer is going out of the farmers'right.