The time is running out fast for putting necessary things in place for the implementation of Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in fertilizer supply from January 1 next in Telangana with very few retailers (dealers) procuring the Point of Sale (PoS) devices, a pre-requisite for smooth supply of fertilizer to farmers, till date.
Official sources stated that “not even 50% of the required PoS devices are deployed in districts, even as the deadline is approaching fast”. There are about 6,000 fertilizer retailers in Telangana besides another 1,000 primary agriculture cooperative societies and outlets run by district cooperative marketing society selling fertilizers to farmers in the State.
However, according to the website of Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, only 209 retailers in Ranga Reddy district have the PoS devices as on October 3. Under the DBT scheme, the fertilizer companies would get the disbursement of subsidy amount only if the sales are conducted with the help of PoS devices.
ADVERTISEMENT
The sales transacted on PoS devices would capture farmers’ details including their name and Aadhaar-based biometric authentication and the information would be transferred to the scheme’s central server.
The fertilizer companies are paid on-account subsidy on receipt of material at railhead points or approved godowns in districts at present. After sale disbursal of fertilizer subsidy is likely to lead to the DBT system already in practice in case of domestic for LPG cylinders. “Preventing sale of fertilizer to non-genuine farmers, mostly hoarders, becomes possible with capturing of transactions at buyer's level.”
Consumption of fertilizers in Telangana is about 26 lakh tonnes annually, including about 13 lakh tonnes of urea, 11 lakh tonnes of DAP, NPK and other complex varieties and 1.75 lakh tonnes of potash, Agricultural Department officials said.
ADVERTISEMENT
When contacted, Agriculture Secretary of Telangana C. Parthasarathi told The Hindu that the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers had written to the State Government recently reminding the arrangements to be completed for the roll out of fertilizer DBT from January 1 next and as a follow-up a letter was sent to all district collectors, district agriculture officers and district cooperative officers for deployment of PoS devices at every retailer.
The deployment of PoS devices also includes distribution, registration of retailers in PoS operation and entry of initial stocks available at retail point besides training of retailers for using the devices. “The task of PoS devices' supply to retailers is being taken up by companies allotted to the districts in coordination with district administration and the Lead Fertilizer Supplier of the State – Nagarjuna Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd.” Mr. Parthasarathi explained.
A dry run would be conducted by December 1 this year to rectify possible problems in the implementation of DBT before the State is declared “Go-Live”.