Sufficient availability of subsidized fertilizers

Sufficient availability of subsidized fertilizers 

            The Maximum Retail Price(MRP) of urea is statutorily controlled by the Government.  The difference between the delivered cost of fertilizers at farm gate and net market realization by the urea units is given as subsidy to the urea manufacturer/importer by the Government of India.

            In respect of Phosphatic and Potassic (P&K) Fertilizers, the Government is implementing Nutrient Based Subsidy Policy w.e.f. 1.4.2010.  Under the policy, a fixed amount of subsidy, decided on annual basis, is provided on subsidized P&K fertilizers depending on their nutrient content.  Under this policy, MRP is fixed by fertilizer companies as per market dynamics.  The details of  the subsidy being provided to the P&K companies are as under:

S.No.	Nutrients	NBS (Rs. Per Kg of Nutrient)
1.	N	20.875
2.	P	18.679
3.	K	15.500
4.	S	1.677

            The details of subsidy provided to the Importers/Manufacturer of fertilizers during the last three years and current year is as under:                                                          (in crores of rupees)

	Imported    Urea	Imported       P&K	Indigenous      P&K	Indigenous     Urea
Year	Expenditure	Expenditure	Expenditure	Expenditure
2012-13	20,016.00	14,576.10	16,000.00	20,000.00
2013-14	15,353.30	13,926.86	15,500.00	26,500.00
2014-15	16,200.00	8,667.30	12,000.00	38,200.01
2015-16 ( upto 31.01.2016)	15,948.29	8,911.72	11,388.39	37,852.10

            The availability of all the subsidized fertilizers (Urea, DAP, MOP & NPK) has been sufficient and comfortable both in Kharif as well as in Rabi season 2015-16 (upto January, 2016), the details of which are in tabular form as under:

	Kharif 2015			Rabi 2015-16 (upto January) (LMT)
Fertilizers	Requirement	Availability	Sales	Requirement	Availability	Sales
Urea	154.50	157.68	154.79	129.52	124.77	114.20
DAP	50.93	59.98	50.62	43.70	41.45	28.26
MOP	18.31	16.87	12.60	13.38	13.01	8.18
NPK	52.73	54.22	44.94	38.37	39.03	28.56

            This information was given by the Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha today.

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Supply of essential medicines at affordable prices 

Pursuant to the announcement of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy, 2012 the Government notified Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013) on 15th May, 2013. All the medicines specified in the National list of Essential Medicines 2011 (NLEM) have been included in the First Schedule of DPCO, 2013. Out of total 680 NLEM medicines (628 net medicines) under scheduled category of DPCO, 2013, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed the ceiling prices in respect of 530 medicines (including 47 for cancer and 53 for cardiovascular diseases)

Subsequently, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has announced National list of Essential Medicines, 2015 (NLEM, 2015). The Government is in the process of amending the first Schedule of Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 so that NPPA can fix prices of medicines appearing in NLEM, 2015. This would result in reduction in prices of Essential Medicines appearing in NLEM, 2015, including those used for cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Shri Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha today.