CAG critical of efficacy of Fertilizer Quality Control Laboratories (FQCLs)
Updated: Sep 04, 2015 11:18:18am
New Delhi, Sept 4 (KNN) The functioning of fertilizer testing labs is increasingly coming under criticism with the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) also expressing its displeasure on state of their functioning.
CAG’s latest report on Nutrient Based Subsidy Policy for Decontrolled Phosphatic & Potassic Fertilizers (2015) has emphasized that ‘there was a need for a critical review of the utilization of 78 Fertilizer Quality Control Laboratories (FQCLs) in the country’.
Prior to the CAG remarks, a detailed study by noted Indian economist Dr. Laveesh Bhandari and Sumita Kale- ‘Fertilizer Quality Control in India - The need for systemic change’, had pointed out the mismanagement of labs testing fertilizer. The study was commissioned and published by Federation of Indian Micro and Small and Medium Enterprises (FISME).
Writing the forward of the study, Prof. Bibek Debroy- now Member of NITI Aayog, had said that the prevailing fertilizer quality control mechanism ‘confer draconian powers of petty government functionaries, contributing to rent seeking and bribery, especially when there no distinction between minor transgression and major crime”.
Prof. Debroy had further warned against cosmetic tinkering of the quality system and advocated for an overhaul: ‘greater and better testing facilities, a credible monitoring and a disciplined enforcement system are the need of the hour and not the indiscriminate rent seeking regime we have today’.
The CAG report notes that the Department of Fertilizer (DoF) advised the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation (DAC) to revamp the mechanism to enforce quality of fertilizers at farm gate level and implement within two months.
The CAG report has criticized the sub-optimal utilization of testing labs. For example, testing at Mizoram FQCL ranged from zero to five, during 2010-11 to 2013-14, against analyzing capacity of 250 whereas against this, number of samples tested in Gujarat FQCL was 14623 as against analysing capacity of 7500 in 2013-14. In either case maintenance of quality becomes suspect.
“This shows sub-optimal utilization of created facilities on the one hand and excess utilization on the other hand, both of which underlined the need for critical review of the facilities and improvement of quality control efforts,” the report mentioned. (KNN/ AB)
CAG’s latest report on Nutrient Based Subsidy Policy for Decontrolled Phosphatic & Potassic Fertilizers (2015) has emphasized that ‘there was a need for a critical review of the utilization of 78 Fertilizer Quality Control Laboratories (FQCLs) in the country’.
Prior to the CAG remarks, a detailed study by noted Indian economist Dr. Laveesh Bhandari and Sumita Kale- ‘Fertilizer Quality Control in India - The need for systemic change’, had pointed out the mismanagement of labs testing fertilizer. The study was commissioned and published by Federation of Indian Micro and Small and Medium Enterprises (FISME).
Writing the forward of the study, Prof. Bibek Debroy- now Member of NITI Aayog, had said that the prevailing fertilizer quality control mechanism ‘confer draconian powers of petty government functionaries, contributing to rent seeking and bribery, especially when there no distinction between minor transgression and major crime”.
Prof. Debroy had further warned against cosmetic tinkering of the quality system and advocated for an overhaul: ‘greater and better testing facilities, a credible monitoring and a disciplined enforcement system are the need of the hour and not the indiscriminate rent seeking regime we have today’.
The CAG report notes that the Department of Fertilizer (DoF) advised the Department of Agriculture & Co-operation (DAC) to revamp the mechanism to enforce quality of fertilizers at farm gate level and implement within two months.
The CAG report has criticized the sub-optimal utilization of testing labs. For example, testing at Mizoram FQCL ranged from zero to five, during 2010-11 to 2013-14, against analyzing capacity of 250 whereas against this, number of samples tested in Gujarat FQCL was 14623 as against analysing capacity of 7500 in 2013-14. In either case maintenance of quality becomes suspect.
“This shows sub-optimal utilization of created facilities on the one hand and excess utilization on the other hand, both of which underlined the need for critical review of the facilities and improvement of quality control efforts,” the report mentioned. (KNN/ AB)
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