Aurangabad, Dec 26:
The Zilla Parishad''s agriculture section had suspended licenses of 15 fertiliser-sellers (retailers/distributors) in the district. The action was taken due to the failure of shopkeepers in maintaining the sale records and maintaining registration on E-PoS (Point of Sale) machines. " Earlier, the office had taken action against 27 shopkeepers in this regard," said the district agriculture development officer Anand Ganjewar.
There are 1,183 sellers, out of which 600 enjoy subsidy against the selling of fertilisers. Of the 15 licenses suspended by agriculture officers, eight are from Soyegaon tehsil; four are from Paithan tehsil and one each is from Gangapur, Kannad and Phulambri tehsils, said Ganjewar.
The union Government introduced Aadhar Enabled Fertiliser Distribution System (AeFDS) to avoid inconvenience to farmers while taking Rabbi Crops and plan the requirement of different types of fertilisers. The government is also offering subsidy on different types of fertiliser. This is the reason why the fertiliser is available in the market to ryots at low prices. To maintain transparency and monitor the distribution of subsidy, the government has provided E-Pos devices to all the shops selling fertilisers (retailers and distributors). The online registration (feeding of info about the sale) is mandatory while purchasing fertiliser. The farmers buying fertiliser in person or through others should make it a point to provide the aadhar card number. It helps to fill information about the purchaser by the shopkeeper. The ryots should also pay attention to E-PoS registration. It will be convenient for the seller as well as farmer, stressed Ganjewar.
To verify the claim about urea''s shortage, the agriculture officers team paid surprise visits and found many shops failed to maintain the purchase records. The names of farmers were also not mentioned. The team also found mention of the sale of fertiliser in large quantities in one farmer''s name. After investigation, the officials suspended the licenses of 15 fertiliser-sellers in the district.
It is learnt that the union Government provides a huge subsidy on fertiliser. It also reviews the demand and supply chart of fertiliser every fortnight. They are also calculating the area of farmland and utility of fertiliser by each farmer.
One may detect the difference in demand and supply after going through the physical stock of fertiliser available with the seller, going through receipts issued against selling and uploading online entry at E-PoS machine. However, it is observed that the sellers are ignoring it. Many a time, the farmers are also seen reluctant in sharing their aadhar card number.