The Indian government currently has no proposal to include nano fertilizers under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel informed the Lok Sabha this week.
What is the PLI Scheme?
As part of the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ initiatives, the government launched the PLI scheme in over a dozen sectors in 2020. The objective is to:
Boost Indian manufacturing
Attract investments
Enhance exports
Integrate India into the global supply chain
Reduce dependency on imports
However, nano fertilizers are not currently included in this scheme.
Government’s Approach to Nano Fertilizers
Despite not being part of the PLI scheme, the government actively promotes the use of nano urea through various awareness programs, including:
Camps and Webinars
Nukkad Nataks (Street Plays)
Field Demonstrations
Kisan Sammelans (Farmer Conferences
Regional Language Films
Moreover, spraying nano fertilizers using drones has emerged as a cost-effective method. Farmers who participated in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra showed interest in adopting this advanced technology.
Availability of Nano Fertilizers
Currently, Nano Urea and Nano DAP are available at Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samridhi Kendras (PMKSKs), supplied by the respective companies.
No Subsidy for Nano Urea Yet
The government does not provide subsidies for nano urea. However, the Department of Fertilizers is encouraging companies to establish nano fertilizer plants to promote their usage.
Future Potential of Nano Fertilizers
Since nano fertilizers are still in the experimental phase, their adoption rate among farmers will determine their impact on conventional urea usage and overall fertilizer subsidies.
Nano urea is seen as a revolutionary step in agriculture. It has the potential to reduce storage costs, increase efficiency, and bo
ost crop yields, making farming more sustainable.
