Public Accounts Committee (PAC) expresses concerns about Quality Testing of Fertilizers
Updated: Sep 14, 2015 04:16:11pm
New Delhi, Sept 14 (KNN) The quality testing mechanism for fertilisers in the country has come under intense public scrutiny, with a key parliamentary panel raising concerns over the way labs operate.
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has noted with profound concern several deficiencies and inadequacies that plague the quality testing of fertilisers. “Such areas of concern inter-alia include grossly inadequate annual capacity of the existing quality control laboratories vis-à-vis the required capacity for testing samples from all sales outlets; deficient physical and human infrastructure in many of the laboratories; significant shortfalls in the actual number of samples tested, etc,” the committee has said in its 2014-15 review report on administration of fertiliser subsidy regime.
The report further says: “What concerns the committee more is the non-adherence to the time limit prescribed for analysis and communication of results of fertilizer quality testing.”
PAC’s findings also find resonance in a study undertaken by trade body Fisme on the regulatory dispensation for fertiliser quality control as well as in national auditor’s audit report on administration of fertiliser subsidy regime.
The damning revelations should be a cause of concern for policy makers as these have serious implications for agriculture productivity and farmers’ well-being.
A study conducted by Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) has called for overhaul of the existing dispensation which has failed to ensure supply of standard and quality fertilisers to farmers due to its inherent flaws.
The report has suggested implementation of key measures, including improving the efficiency of the regulatory mechanism through an adequate number of laboratories that are fully equipped and accredited, correcting faulty sampling pattern, ensuring availability of adequate and well-trained inspectors etc., checking deliberate manipulation of test results, putting in place a transparent system for retesting.
Further, the study report has also recommended moderating the provisions of FCO, especially those related to the range of tolerance limits specified by the FCO which are too stringent and hence impractical. The tolerance limits needs to be moderate and pragmatic, the report said.
According to the report, there is also a need to appreciate the distinction between mistake and fraud, i.e. between sub-standard and adulterated fertilizers. It said that punishment should be more severe in case of adulterated fertilizers than in the case of the sub- standard ones.
Meanwhile, the comptroller and auditor general (CAG), in its performance audit report of the NBS policy for the year 2013-14, has recommended a ‘critical review’ of the way quality control labs are utilised in a bid to rectify the anomalies.
The CAG during its audit of the policy regime found that of the 78 operational labs, several performed testing work much beyond their rated capacities, leading analysts to wonder if results of these tests can be relied upon.
In view of the finding, the CAG said, there is a need for critical review of utilization of FQCLs so that there is no avoidable underutilization or overutilization of the facilities. (KNN / NM)
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has noted with profound concern several deficiencies and inadequacies that plague the quality testing of fertilisers. “Such areas of concern inter-alia include grossly inadequate annual capacity of the existing quality control laboratories vis-à-vis the required capacity for testing samples from all sales outlets; deficient physical and human infrastructure in many of the laboratories; significant shortfalls in the actual number of samples tested, etc,” the committee has said in its 2014-15 review report on administration of fertiliser subsidy regime.
The report further says: “What concerns the committee more is the non-adherence to the time limit prescribed for analysis and communication of results of fertilizer quality testing.”
PAC’s findings also find resonance in a study undertaken by trade body Fisme on the regulatory dispensation for fertiliser quality control as well as in national auditor’s audit report on administration of fertiliser subsidy regime.
The damning revelations should be a cause of concern for policy makers as these have serious implications for agriculture productivity and farmers’ well-being.
A study conducted by Federation of Indian Micro and Small & Medium Enterprises (FISME) has called for overhaul of the existing dispensation which has failed to ensure supply of standard and quality fertilisers to farmers due to its inherent flaws.
The report has suggested implementation of key measures, including improving the efficiency of the regulatory mechanism through an adequate number of laboratories that are fully equipped and accredited, correcting faulty sampling pattern, ensuring availability of adequate and well-trained inspectors etc., checking deliberate manipulation of test results, putting in place a transparent system for retesting.
Further, the study report has also recommended moderating the provisions of FCO, especially those related to the range of tolerance limits specified by the FCO which are too stringent and hence impractical. The tolerance limits needs to be moderate and pragmatic, the report said.
According to the report, there is also a need to appreciate the distinction between mistake and fraud, i.e. between sub-standard and adulterated fertilizers. It said that punishment should be more severe in case of adulterated fertilizers than in the case of the sub- standard ones.
Meanwhile, the comptroller and auditor general (CAG), in its performance audit report of the NBS policy for the year 2013-14, has recommended a ‘critical review’ of the way quality control labs are utilised in a bid to rectify the anomalies.
The CAG during its audit of the policy regime found that of the 78 operational labs, several performed testing work much beyond their rated capacities, leading analysts to wonder if results of these tests can be relied upon.
In view of the finding, the CAG said, there is a need for critical review of utilization of FQCLs so that there is no avoidable underutilization or overutilization of the facilities. (KNN / NM)
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