'National responsibility to contribute to fertilizer distribution' - AGA

Nimal Wijesinghe-Anuradhapura Additional District Group Corr.

The Anuradhapura Additional Government Agent K.B. Hettiarachchi stated that it was the national responsibility and obligation of the officials and farmer representatives to contribute to every process of the distribution of the fertilizer subsidy without any malpractices, corruption, cheating or misappropriation in the Anuradhapura District.

He said so while explaining the arrangements being made to distribute the fertilizer subsidy to farmers through 40 Agrarian Services Centres.

"The government spends around Rs. 20 billion for providing the fertilizer subsidy facility each year. As such it is our supreme duty to act on most accurate data and information in the process including transport, storing and distribution.

However, according to the report submitted for approval by the Agrarian Service Department to the District Fertilizer Co-ordination Committee, fertilizer subsidy for around 126,000 hectares has been recommended during the 2012/2013 Maha season.

It indicates an increase of nearly 7,000 hectares over the last Maha season figures. There should be an explanation as to how this increase of arable lands emerged this season," Hettiarachchi who is also the Chairman of the District Fertilizer Coordination Committee stated further.

He pointed out that the figures of the total land capacity submitted by the Statistics Unit of the Agrarian Services Department contain discrepancies and do not tally with each other.

According to the records of the Agriculture Department the extent was 105,000 hectares.

In this context it has become difficult to implement or launch various agricultural development ventures, Hettiarachchi explained.

He said that under the circumstances the District Fertilizer Co-ordinating Committee would only recommend the 2011/2012 fertilizer requirement for the 2012/2013 Maha season.