Chandigarh: The Punjab Congress today slammed the SAD-BJP combine for “short” supply of urea in the state, describing it as their “failure” in taking care of the interest of wheat growers.
“It (short supply of urea) is a failure of the government. It is not a rocket science or one time phenomena. They know very well when the (wheat) sowing starts. Why can't they organize it and co-ordinated with the Centre,” Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar said here today. With Punjab government expressing concern over “short” supply of urea at the time of ongoing rabi sowing season, wheat growers in the region have resorted to “panic buying” of fertilizer in anticipation of its severe shortage that could affect prospects of bumper winter crop, he said.
The state government has raised the urea issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, demanding his personal intervention for stepping up urea supply, saying the state faces “acute” shortage of urea that is affecting wheat crop sowing. “Whether it is the purchase of crops during harvesting, every time they (SAD-BJP government) have shown lack of planning and taking care of interest of farmers,” Jakhar alleged.
Punjab is demanding stepping up urea supplies to make up the shortfall of 1.47 lakh tonnes. It requires about 13 lakh tonnes of urea for wheat sowing across the state for the entire season.
The opposition party also took a dig at the state government for speaking in different voices in connection with urea issue.
“On one hand, Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal has written a letter to PM (for adequate urea supply) and on the other hand, state agriculture minister Sardar Tota Singh says the state has sufficient quantity of urea. They (SAD-BJP government) should put their house in order first,” he said. Tota Singh had claimed on December 1 that there was no shortage of urea for sowing of rabi and other seasonal crops.
