To plug leakages in the fertiliser subsidy disbursement, the Uttar Pradesh government has directed its District Agriculture Officers (DAO) to provide training to fertiliser retailers in their areas on the proposed direct cash subsidy system.

Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Director Mukesh Gautam has directed the DAOs in the state to train all the fertiliser retailers in their districts on handling the system by September 30, 2011, Mathura DAO A K Teotia said.

The interim report submitted by UIDAI Chairman Nandan Nilekani to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has suggested creation of a Core Subsidy Management System (CSMS), which will be able to detect fraud and diversions. The report has suggested a road-map for direct cash transfer of fertiliser subsidy in three phases, which includes tracking the sale of fertiliser till the retail level.

Under this phase, retailers will update the ministry on the sale of fertilisers by them through mobile SMS with the help of a java enabled software that will be installed in their handsets. According to Gautam, retailers would be trained by IT experts from the state-owned PSU National Fertiliser Ltd (NFL).