PRAYAGRAJ, Aug. 24 -- The district administration, in coordination with the agriculture department, has launched an intensive re-verification drive of bulk fertiliser purchases and sales across the Prayagraj division. The move aims to curb black marketing of fertilisers by scrutinising transactions made between April and August this year. As part of the exercise, officials are visiting the homes and farms of bulk fertiliser buyers to verify the authenticity of their purchases. In this process, raids have been conducted at 262 centers in Prayagraj district, leading to the suspension or cancellation of licenses at 16 centres. In Fatehpur district, 216 centers were inspected and licenses of three were suspended. Meanwhile, in Pratapgarh district, 242 raids were carried out, resulting in the cancellation of licenses at 19 centers. Joint director of agriculture for Prayagraj division, Shipra (who goes by a single name), said the re-verification has been initiated following government instructions, specifically targeting those with unusually high fertiliser purchases. All records of significant fertiliser transactions from April to August are being thoroughly reviewed. She noted that the use of Point of Sale (POS) machines has been effective in preventing the involvement of middlemen in fertiliser sales. When a farmer purchases fertiliser, their Aadhaar card is scanned or their number is entered into the POS machine, ensuring the buyer is a genuine farmer rather than a black marketer. Additionally, POS machines digitally record details of every transaction, including the type, quantity, date of purchase, and buyer information. This transparency helps maintain accurate stock records and minimises the potential for fraud. The POS machines are linked to the Central Government's Fertiliser Management System (FMS), enabling real-time tracking of fertiliser sales by district. This system also helps the government monitor supply and demand, ensuring timely intervention in case of shortages....