New Delhi: The Government has cleared Rs 220 billion fertiliser subsidies of the companies and would pay the remaining amount of Rs 120 bn by March this year, Fertiliser Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said here today (Jan 29, 2007).

Complaints of fertiliser companies regarding delay in payment of subsidy will be looked into though the government has cleared all subsidies of the companies, Paswan told reporters at the end of the first conference of State Agriculture Ministers.

"Though we have cleared the subsidies of companies, some company or the other would always raise such issues", he said.

Paswan said the Department of Fertiliser was pursuing release of Rs 60 bn fertiliser subsidy arrears from the Finance Ministry.

The one-day conference called to discuss issues relating to the fertiliser sector was attended by several state agricultural ministers.

Paswan said all loose-ends were tied up regarding demand for fertilisers and infrastructural constraints during the conference.

The meeting was convened with a view to reviewing the recent experience of buoyant demand for fertiliser products in the country besides taking stock of shortcoming in overall management including demand assessment, availability and infrastructural constraints.

It was also aimed at delineating the areas of responsibility between the stakeholders involved in the process of manufacture/import and distribution of fertilisers to farmers.