Centre to give subsidy in fertilizer to farmers

The Centre is taking steps to provide subsidy in fertilizer directly to farmers instead of fertiliser companies, said S.S.Surjit Wala, all India president of the farmers' wing of the Congress party here on Wednesday. He told presspersons that the farmers are deprived of the benefit when subsidy is given to the fertiliser companies. It leads to monopoly of trade and high price of fertilizer. He said three bills - Fertiliser Control Act, Land Acquisition Bill and Seed Bill - would be tabled in the coming session of Parliament. He appealed to the State governments which give agriculture loans at 10 to 12 per cent interest to stick on to only four per cent interest as suggested by the National Agriculture Commission. He said he was against introduction of BT cotton and BT brinjal. Avinash, all India general secretary, and S. Pavan Kumar, state convenor were present.