Now Reading: PM Modi says ₹16 lakh crore spent on fertiliser subsidies in 12 years
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PM Modi says ₹16 lakh crore spent on fertiliser subsidies in 12 years
The Story in Brief
Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Thursday, 12 November 2026, that the government has spent Rs 16 lakh crore over the past 12 years to keep fertilisers affordable for farmers. He said a bag of DAP priced at about Rs 5,000 internationally costs farmers Rs 1,300 in India, and a bag of urea at around Rs 3,000 globally is available for less than Rs 300. Modi also attributed price pressures to the Iran conflict.
Separately, the Rajasthan government has stepped up checks to prevent diversion of subsidised urea and DAP to industrial users, with Agriculture Commissioner Naresh Kumar Goyal stating that misuse constitutes a betrayal of farmers’ interests. Former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, however, criticised the state government on social media, alleging that cooperatives have collapsed and farmers are unable to obtain fertiliser despite urgent need.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Business Today leads with PM Modi’s figures on fertiliser subsidies and international price comparisons, presenting the expenditure as a government achievement against global headwinds like the Iran conflict. Business Standard, focused on Rajasthan, reports the state’s crackdown on diversion of subsidised fertilisers, quoting an official and including opposition leader Ashok Gehlot’s criticism of shortages. Both sources are fact-based, Business Today omits any mention of distribution failures, while Business Standard omits the financial scale. The balanced reading accepts the subsidy outlay as reported and the enforcement drive as an administrative response, with Gehlot’s accusation of collapsed cooperatives providing the dissenting frame. Gehlot’s critique remains unresolved in the government’s statements.
Coverage: 2 sources, 1 pro-government, 1 neutral
Sources (2): businesstoday.in (pro government), business-standard.com (neutral report)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
