‘Farmers returning empty-handed’: Gehlot attacks Rajasthan govt over fertiliser supply

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday criticised the BJP-led state government over its online fertiliser booking system, alleging that technical problems and poor implementation were causing widespread difficulties for farmers.

Gehlot said the problems were not limited to Baran district and claimed farmers across Rajasthan were facing difficulties in obtaining fertiliser under the new system.

In a post on social media platform X, the Congress leader alleged that the online booking arrangement, instead of making fertiliser more accessible, had become a source of harassment for farmers.

He claimed technical glitches and frequent server outages were preventing farmers from completing the booking process. Even those who managed to reach fertiliser distribution points, he alleged, were being forced to stand in queues for hours before returning empty-handed.

Gehlot alleges fertiliser being diverted to Madhya Pradesh

Gehlot also alleged that fertiliser meant for farmers in Rajasthan was being sent to neighbouring Madhya Pradesh.

He accused the BJP government of failing to ensure adequate supplies for farmers and said the government's “double-engine” model had failed to resolve the problem.

“The BJP government's new online booking system is becoming a means of harassing farmers instead of providing them fertiliser,” Gehlot said in his post, according to the report.

He alleged that farmers across the state were being forced to deal with the same problems and questioned how long they would have to continue facing difficulties.

Gehlot also asked Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma to explain when the situation would improve and when farmers would receive the fertiliser they require.

The allegations come amid concerns among farmers over access to fertiliser, particularly when delays in obtaining agricultural inputs can affect sowing and crop-related activities.

The former chief minister's remarks have put the implementation of the online booking system under renewed political scrutiny, with the Congress targeting the BJP government over what it described as administrative and technological failures.

The report did not include a response from the Rajasthan government to Gehlot's allegations.