The apex marketing co-op federation of Bihar-Biscomaun has plastered the whole of Patna with the photographs of IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi in the face of looming urea crisis. All the major points from R Block to Dak Bunglow crossings have huge hoardings of Biscomaun depicting Awasthi as the messiah of the farmers.
The co-op body Biscomaun claims to make urea available at Rs 295 a bag and announces to reward anyone who can prove otherwise. There have been reports of huge black marketing of urea to the tune of Rs 450-500 per bag in the state as farmers line up before Biscomaun sale counter since dawn.
“It was due to IFFCO in general and Dr Awasthi in particular that we are able to stick to our price line of Rs 295”, informed Biscomaun Chairman Sunil Kumar Singh. It bears recall that Biscomaun is selling IFFCO urea.
The govt decision to sell urea through PoS machines from January 1 has led to this scramble. The Govt. of Bihar stopped sale of urea from 25th December. This has led to chaos.
More than 15 districts are affected as of now and District administration is hard pressed to control the situation, say media reports.