Bhubaneswar: The State Government has asked the Railways authorities to develop infrastructures in the railway rake points of Odisha for transportation of fertilizers.
Secretary, Agriculture and Farmer Farmers Empowerment, Suresh Kumar Vashishth has urged the General Managers of East Coast Railways and South Eastern Railways for the development of infrastructures in the railway rake points of Odisha.
Fertilizer input is the most important technical intervention for enhancing production and productivity of all crops. Also timely availability has its own contribution to productivity, Mr.Vashishth said.
Presently, about 12 lakh MT of fertilizers are annually supplied to Odisha through 23 rake points. Besides that Department of Fertilizers, Government of India has approved another three rake points at Naranapur, Nayagarh and Angul which are non-functional till date.
The peak period of requirement of fertilizer in the State is mid-July to September during which the most of the frequency of rainfall is distributed. Fertilizer being a hygroscopic material needs to be protected from water, he said.
However, most of the rake points in Odisha at present have not even shed facility throughout the rake length for providing protection to the commodity from water for preserving its quality.
Similarly, the Indian railways has restricted the unloading time of the rakes to 9 hours. The poor approach road and non-provision of electricity are the hindrances in handling and transportation of the rake in time that is why the transporters and manufactures often express their unwillingness for supply of fertilizers through these rake points, the Secretary pointed out.
“The resultant effect is that the farming community suffers from unavailability of fertilizers at the critical juncture of requirement which adversely affect the production and income of the farmers as well as GDP of the nation as a whole,” he pointed out to the General Managers.
Therefore, he sought personal intervention of the GMs in the matter for smooth and timely supply of fertilizer to the State for the greater interest of the farmers.