With the aim to improve the availability of phosphatic fertilisers (DAP & NPK) and to cut down dependence on imports by making India Aatmnirbhar in fertilisers, Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilisers, Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with officials of Department of Fertilizers & stakeholders of Fertilizers industries.
The Minister said, “I am glad that Department of Fertilisers is ready with an Action Plan to make India Aatmanirbhar in Rock Phosphate, the key raw material of DAP & NPK Fertlisers. By following the clarion call of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ given by PM Narendra Modi, India is surely marching towards achieving Aatmanirabharta in fertilisers in the time to come.”
An Action Plan has been made for making India Aatmanirbhar in production of fertiliser through indigenous resources.
Mandaviya ordered to commercially exploit and speed up the production in the existing 30 lakh MT of Phosphorite deposits that are available in Rajasthan, central part of peninsular India, Hirapur (Madhya Pradesh), Lalitpur (Uttar Pradesh), Mussoorie syncline, Cuddapah basin (Andhra Pradesh). Discussion & planning with the Department of Mining and Geological Survey of India is in progress to accelerate the exploration in the potential potassic ore resources in Rajasthan’s Satipura, Bharusari and Lakhasar & Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. All the departments are working together to start the mining of potential reserves as early as possible.
The Action Plan includes the steps to reduce the import dependency of costly raw material imported from overseas and make it accessible & affordable to farmers.
Rock Phosphate is the main raw material for DAP & NPK fertilisers and India is 90 percent dependent on imports. Instability in global prices affects domestic prices of fertilisers and hampers the progress & development of agriculture sector in the country. Hence, Minister Mandaviya conducted a meeting with the stakeholders to speed up the exploration and mining of available rock phosphate reserves in the country.
