metro india news  I hyderabad

Learning from past season challenges, the Telangana Agriculture Department has deployed special officers for field visits to ensure smooth urea supply without disruptions to farmers. Senior officials, including Additional Directors, Joint Directors of Agriculture (JDAs), and Deputy Directors of Agriculture (DDAs), have been stationed in districts to oversee distribution.

Mandal-level officers, agricultural extension officers, and assistant directors are also touring extensively to prevent hardships. Dealers are instructed to publicize stock information and distribute urea across all retail centers in mandals. The objective of on-site inspections is to prevent long queues and ensure stocks do not get diverted. Daily reports on sales and stocks are being submitted to avoid any irregularities. Strict action has been warned against hoarding or black marketing. Director B. Gopi has assigned five districts to each officer for close monitoring from the headquarters. The government has directed district collectors to maintain constant vigilance.

Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao has emphasized continuous supervision of urea supply, stating that ample stocks are available state-wide despite attempts to create unnecessary panic among farmers. For the Rabi season, the Centre has allocated 10.40 lakh metric tonnes of urea, of which approximately 5.7 lakh metric tonnes have already reached the state, with around 4 lakh metric tonnes supplied to farmers so far.

The Minister noted that farmers purchased an additional one lakh metric tonnes of urea this December compared to last year, reflecting higher demand due to increased cultivation of crops like maize and precautionary buying. Current stocks stand at about 2.15-2.25 lakh metric tonnes, sufficient to meet needs. He urged farmers not to worry, assuring that every farmer visiting societies or retail shops is receiving urea bags. In districts implementing the fertilizer booking app on a pilot basis, distribution has been smooth, with no issues reported. Over one lakh farmers have downloaded the app, and thousands have successfully booked and purchased bags. The Minister dismissed misinformation campaigns about the app and reaffirmed the government's commitment to transparent supply.

The state government assured farmers of adequate urea availability throughout the Rabi season, with proactive measures in place to address any local issues promptly.