Ramagundam Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL) in Telangana’s Peddapalli district has been closed due to an ammonia pipeline leak. This shutdown has halted urea production at the plant, affecting the supply to Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and five other states. The plant closure, caused by technical issues, may take about a week to resolve before production can resume.
This incident marks the second time this year that an ammonia leak has led to the shutdown of the RFCL plant. Operating at half its capacity due to gas shortages from the Middle East conflict, the plant has a daily capacity of 3,850 tonnes. The Telangana government has urged the Centre to allocate the entire urea output from RFCL to the state, as it is the sole source for Telangana.
In response to the urea supply disruption, the Telangana government has introduced a new system for farmers to book subsidised urea easily. Through MeeSeva centres across the state, farmers can now book urea with the help of an operator if they face difficulties with the fertiliser booking app. This initiative aims to enhance transparency and ensure timely distribution of urea to farmers.
To book subsidised urea through the official channels, farmers are required to visit MeeSeva centres with their Pattadar Passbook (PPB) number. The operator at the centre records the farmer’s details, including information on cultivated areas and crops, to facilitate the booking process. Upon verification of the OTP sent to the farmer’s mobile number, a booking ID is issued, which remains valid for 48 hours, excluding the booking date.
