Setting up urine banks may help farmers with urea, says Nitin Gadkari

New Delhi: The government has a new idea up its sleeve. According to Union minister Nitin Gadkari, every tehsil/taluka should have urine banks to produce urea. The urea can then be used as fertilizer and given to the farmer. The idea behind this is to reduce farmer's dependency on urea import.

"Human urine contains a lot of nitrogen. But this is wasted. Since converting waste into wealth is my passion, I feel there is no harm in trying the idea," said Gadkari, the minister of Road Transport and Highways.

The initial tests will be carried out at a laboratory in Dhapewada village near Nagpur.

Farmers will have to collect the urine in 10-litre plastic cans and bring it to taluka centres. In return, they'll get Rs 1 per litre.

The trial for this will begin in rural areas where urine is not diluted with water as opposed to urban homes, suggested the Road Transport & Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation in the Government of India.

“We already have organic substitutes for phosphorous and potassium. If we could add nitrogen, it could make an ideal plant booster,” he added.