Mamata Banerjee on Monday invited fertiliser companies to set up units in Bengal and offered them incentives in a move to ensure a steady supply of fertilisers for nearly 72 lakh farmers in the state.

“We will give land free of cost in industrial parks…. Moreover, some other facilities will be extended to those who will set up fertiliser units here,” the chief minister said during a news conference at Nabanna on Monday.

Mamata said the Centre was not supplying enough fertilisers to the farmers of Bengal, besides depriving the state of funds under several rural development schemes, including the 100-day employment scheme.

Sources in the agriculture department said the chief minister raised the issue since complaints were coming from almost all districts that the farmers were not getting enough chemical fertilisers ahead of the rabi (winter) season.

“Rabi season is important for the farmers of Bengal as they sow mustard, wheat and potato during this period. If there is a lack of supply of fertilisers, the farmers get annoyed. The chief minister knows very well that keeping the farmers happy is important ahead of next year’s rural polls,” said an official.

“This is why the chief minister has put the ball in the Centre’s court, making it clear the state has hardly anything to do with the situation,” he added.

Sources said the supply of chemical fertilisers across the country was controlled by the department of fertilisers under the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers.

“This department is entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring the movement, distribution and allocation of subsidised chemical fertilisers from various plants according to the state-wise requirement assessed by the department of agriculture and co-operation (DAC). But Bengal is often denied its requirement,” said a source.

The sources have also said the states which have fertiliser units get the supply in time.

“The chief minister is trying to find out a long-term solution to the long-standing problem. If the state can draw any of the fertiliser companies here, she can win the hearts of farmers at a time when her party is facing questions on various issues,” said a bureaucrat.

Mamata also asked officials to take initiatives to find out ways to increase the production of potato seeds in Bengal.

“You should involve the agriculture universities like Kalyani and find out ways to increase the production of seeds here,” the chief minister said while giving responsibility to home secretary B.P. Gopalika to fix a meeting in this regard.

Sources in the agriculture department said the farmers in Bengal had to depend on states like Punjab and Himachal Pradesh to get potato seeds every year.

“The price of potato seed is very high in those states and often they (farmers in Bengal) don’t get good quality seeds. This is why the chief minister is laying stress on seed production in the state,” said an official in the agriculture department.

CM to unveil Munda statues

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee will be on a two-day visit to Jhargram from Tuesday to celebrate the 148th birth anniversary of tribal hero Birsa Munda and distribute government benefits to members of the community.

State BJP president Sukanta Majumdar will also take part in Munda’s birth anniversary celebrations in Jhargram district on Tuesday.

Mamata would reach Belpahari around 2.30pm on Tuesday and inaugurate a statue of Munda and pay respects to the tribal icon before distributing benefits to around 1,000 adivasis of the Jungle Mahal.

Sources said she would inaugurate four more statues of Munda at various places across the state virtually on Tuesday.

Munda (1875-1900) had died in jail after leading a rebellion against the British.