By IANS,
Kolkata : The West Bengal government will provide Rs.33 crore subsidy on fertilizers, including urea, to give relief to farmers, Finance Minister Amit Mitra said Friday.
“Rs.14.58 crore subsidy will be given on urea and Rs.18.42 crore on other fertilizers,” Mitra told reporters at the state secretariat here.
The centre gives huge subsidy on urea but traders sell it at prices higher than the maximum retail price (MRP), the minister said.
“After the state government gives the subsidy, traders need not sell urea to the farmers at the price higher than the MRP,” he said.
Mitra informed that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, urging him to provide bonus of least Rs.400 per quintal to jute growers of West Bengal.
The chief minister decided that the Food Supplies Department will open centres in different parts of the state to ensure that farmers get the Minimum Support Price for paddy, Mitra said.