Agriculture Minister Th Biswajit warned that legal action will be initiated against those found selling the fertilizers on the black market along with the officials who are involved in such a scam. He also called on the farmers to inform the department if they witness such a scam.
The minister, however, said that baseless allegations made against the department will not be entertained. Appropriate action will also be taken up against those who made baseless allegations, he cautioned.
Th Biswajit on Friday gave assurance to farmers in the state that they will no longer face any shortages of fertilisers. “There is more than 1 lakh stock of fertilisers in the state’s godown and every genuine farmer, acquiring patta or not, will be given the fertilisers after proper verification,” Biswajit said.
Biswajit was speaking to the media during the launch of Direct Beneficiary Transfer (DBT) to 7,000 registered farmers under phase III (2020-2023) Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER), Manipur, at his office chamber in New Secretariat, Imphal West.
The minister said two firms had approached the state government at the ministerial level and are ready to sign an agreement to purchase any quantity of Chakhao rice from the state. Chakhao farmers would benefit and the state’s economy would also be aided, he added.
The gross DBT amount for the 7,000 farmers is Rs 78,750,000 and the total amount of DBT per farmer is Rs 11,250.