Setting the stage for far-reaching fertiliser reforms, Government on May 16 night approved the long awaited pricing norms for giving subsidy to urea manufacturers upto March, next year, expected to benefit the industry to the tune of Rs 3.12 billion. Under the pricing norms finalised by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) effective retrospectively from July 1997, an estimated Rs 18.33 billion is recoverable from urea units, while expected outgo from Government coffers would be over Rs 21.45 billion. Fertiliser Secretary Nripendra Mishra told reporters after the CCEA meeting that the parameters for seventh (July 1997-March 2000) and eighth (April 2000-March 2003) pricing periods were based on the recommendations of the Group of Ministers headed by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman K C Pant. Bureau Report