Director Agriculture Kashmir Syed Altaf Aijaz Andrabi conveyed a meeting to review the preparedness for the introduction of direct benefit transfer (DBT) of fertiliser subsidies in Kashmir DivisionWhile speaking on the occasion, Director Agriculture said that Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) in fertilizer sector is a positive shift from old and orthodox system to a new Multi-dimensional online system that is able to promote transparency and accountability in the entire fertilizer sector. He impressed upon the representatives of concerned agencies to expedite the process of installation of Point of Sale Machines (POS) in all the retailer and sales outlets of Kashmir division.He impressed upon the representatives of fertilizers companies that department is committed to uphold the interests of the farming community, therefore, no compromise on the quality of fertilizers and no laxity in this regard can be tolerated and the distributors or dealers if found violating set norms would be legally dealt with. He said all the procedures being adopted during this entire exercise should be in consonance with the pan India procedures.
While taking the review of demand and supply of different kinds of chemical fertilizer, in Kashmir Division, Andrabi directed the Chief Agriculture Officers to monitor and regulate the supply of fertilizers to the farmers of concerned districts. He directed the representatives of different fertilizers companies to ensure the timely supply of different kind of fertilizers in all the districts of Kashmir division. The fertilizer wholesalers were asked to create a facility for storing at least 200 metric tons of fertilizers at a time failing which their licence would be cancelled.Director Agriculture instructed the concerned officers to organise a training programme for officers at block level as well as to fertilizer dealers on Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) and sensitize them about the importance of Direct Benefit Transfer and consequent benefit of DBT in different schemes.The meeting was attended by Joint Director Agriculture Extension Abdul Rahim Samoon, Regional Subject Matter Specialist Mohd Yaseen Masoodi, Chief Agriculture Officers of concerned districts, officers of Law Enforcement agencies, representatives of different fertilizer companies, fertilizer distributors and dealers of the valley.