LUCKNOW, July 20 -- Uttar Pradesh minister of state (independent charge) for cooperatives JPS Rathore said that cooperative societies are playing a vital role in ensuring timely availability of fertiliser to farmers during the ongoing kharif season. Speaking to Hindustan Times, Rathore asserted there is no fertiliser crisis in the state.

"There is no crisis of fertilisers. Currently, a total of 11.94 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of urea is available in the state, including 2.65 lakh MT in the cooperative sector and 9.29 lakh MT in the private sector," he said.

"During the Samajwadi Party (SP) government, the cooperative societies had been converted into pocket organisations of their leaders, but under the BJP government, the societies are wo...