Dear Members,
Your Board of Directors have pleasure in presenting the 39th Annual Report
on the business and operations of the Company together with audited financial statements
for the financial year ended March 31, 2024.
1. Standalone Financial Results
The financial performance of your Company on standalone basis is summarized below:
(Rs. in Crore)
Particulars |
Financial Year |
|
|
2023-24 |
2022-23 |
Revenue from Operations |
17,966.41 |
27,772.81 |
Other Income |
384.26 |
259.04 |
Total Income |
18,350.67 |
28,031.85 |
Total Expenses |
16,408.08 |
26,580.06 |
Profit before Tax |
1,942.59 |
1,451.79 |
Total Tax Expenses |
611.15 |
382.48 |
Profit for the Year |
1,331.44 |
1,069.31 |
Other Comprehensive Income for the Year (Net of Tax) |
92.34 |
(64.88) |
Total Comprehensive Income for the Year |
1,423.78 |
1,004.43 |
Retained Earnings - Opening Balance |
5,994.94 |
5,289.32 |
Add: |
|
|
Profit for the Year |
1,331.44 |
1,069.31 |
Any Other Change |
(0.51) |
(1.24) |
Re-measurement (Loss) / Gain on Defined Benefit Plans |
(2.02) |
(0.29) |
Less: |
|
|
Cash Dividend |
312.16 |
312.16 |
Transfer to General Reserve |
- |
50.00 |
Buyback of Equity Shares |
678.03 |
- |
Tax on Buyback of Equity Shares |
159.45 |
- |
Transaction costs towards Buyback of Equity Shares |
5.37 |
- |
Amount transferred to Capital Redemption Reserve upon Buyback of Equity
Shares |
15.56 |
- |
Transfer to Retained Earnings |
(0.44) |
- |
Retained Earnings - Closing Balance |
6,153.72 |
5,994.94 |
During the financial year 2023-24, the financial results had three reporting segments
i.e. own manufactured fertilisers, complex fertilisers and crop protection chemicals &
speciality nutrients.
2. Operations
The Company is engaged in manufacture of Urea, and has three urea plants at one
location in Gadepan, District Kota (Rajasthan). The Company markets other complex
fertilisers such as Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP), Muriate of Potash (MOP), NPK fertilisers,
Crop Protection Chemicals and Speciality Nutrients. During the year under review, there
was less volatility in the price of Natural Gas (feedstock), compared to last year. The
urea facilities continued to operate at optimum capacity and energy efficiency levels. The
energy efficiency of your Company's urea production facilities continued to be one of the
best in the industry. The Company was recognized with the certificate of merit at the
National Energy Conservation Award 2023, acknowledging the contribution to energy
efficiency and conservation. Your Company had also undertaken various energy saving
schemes, which were completed by March 2024, and they are delivering better than expected
benefits.
The year under review witnessed muted trading in P&K fertilisers by your Company,
which is attributable to headwinds in pricing. However, the Company imported adequate
quantity of DAP, NPK and MOP to service the channel and in the overall interest of farmers
of the country. Government's support, leading to timely release of subsidy, supported your
Company in keeping its working capital deployment under control, during the financial year
2023-24. The Crop Protection Chemicals (CPC) and Speciality Nutrients (SN) business
continued to grow strongly and registered double-digit growth during the year under
review. During the financial year 2023-24, the Company expended its focus on CPC and SN
business and introduced various new products. Your Company also introduced innovative
biological products in collaboration with renowned R&D organizations to promote soil
health and sustainability. The Company's biological product Uttam Superrhiza', has
been named as the winner of the most prestigious Applied Microbiology International
Product of the year 2023. Your Company stepped up efforts to establish marketing
arrangements with innovator companies from Japan, US, Europe, and Middle East for access
to new age CPC and SN products, which is likely to bear fruit in the coming years.
The production of ammonia in the Company is in surplus due to technical reasons and
such excess ammonia is sold by the Company in the market. Your Company achieved the
highest ever sales of ammonia during the year. However, during this period, the global
prices of ammonia were subdued which impacted the domestic market as well.
'Seed to Harvest', a unique program under the marketing initiative of your Company,
strengthened the bond with farmers. During the year under review, your Company covered
approximately 2,900 villages and 3.50 lakh farmers under the Seed to Harvest'
program. More than 65,000 soil samples were collected to support the farmers in improving
soil health and enhancing crop productivity. Your Company's farmer outreach initiatives
like the monthly Chambal ki Chitthi' which reached out to more than one lakh
farmers, channel partners etc. and the WhatsApp BOT hosted over toll-free number
connecting more than 12 lakh farmers in 12 campaigns, strengthened the Company's focus on
digital media. The Uttam Santulit Poshan Abhiyan' was launched to identify
best farmer practices and to promote cost effective and environment friendly alternatives.
The program was conducted in 13 states covering more than 40 locations.
Detailed information on the business operations of the Company, the industry in which
the Company operates, and other relevant information are given in the Management
Discussion and Analysis Report attached as Annexure "A" to this Report.
3. Technical Ammonium Nitrate Plant
Your Company is setting up a Technical Ammonium Nitrate plant at its existing plant
site at Gadepan, District Kota (Rajasthan), for manufacture of 2,40,000 MTPA of Technical
Ammonium Nitrate (TAN), which also includes a Weak Nitric Acid (WNA) plant with
manufacturing capacity of 2,10,000 MTPA (Project). The Company has awarded lumpsum turnkey
contract to M/s. Larsen & Toubro Limited for engineering, procurement, construction,
and commissioning of the plant, while CASALE, Switzerland is the Process Licensor. All
requisite statutory and other approvals for setting up the plant have been obtained.
Construction activities are progressing well, and the Project is expected to be
commissioned on time.
4. Dividend
The Board of Directors of the Company declared an interim dividend of Rs. 4.50 per
equity share of Rs. 10 each i.e. @ 45% (Previous Year - Rs. 4.50 per equity share
i.e. @ 45%) during the financial year ended March 31, 2024. The Board of Directors has
recommended final dividend of Rs. 3 per equity share of Rs. 10 each i.e. @ 30% (Previous
Year - Rs. 3 per equity share i.e. @ 30%) for the financial year 2023-24, which shall be
paid after approval of shareholders at their ensuing Annual General Meeting. Total
dividend for the financial year 2023-24 on account of interim and final dividend, amounts
to Rs. 7.50 per equity share of Rs. 10 each i.e. @ 75% (Previous Year - Rs. 7.50 per
equity share i.e. @ 75%) involving total outgo of Rs. 307.49 Crore, subject to tax
deducted at source (Previous Year - Rs. 312.16 Crore subject to tax deducted at source).
The Dividend Distribution Policy of the Company is available on the website of the
Company and can be accessed at the weblink:
https://www.chambalfertilisers.com/pdf/Final-Dividend-Distribution-Policy.pdf. There is no
change in this policy during the year under review. The interim and final dividend for the
financial year 2023-24 declared/recommended by the Board of Directors are in accordance
with the Dividend Distribution Policy of the Company.
5. Consolidated Financial Statements
In pursuance of the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013, rules framed thereunder, the
Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements)
Regulations, 2015 ("Listing Regulations") and the applicable accounting
standards, the Company has prepared Consolidated Financial Statements. The audited
Consolidated Financial Statements alongwith Auditor's Report and the Statement containing
salient features of the financial statements of subsidiaries/joint venture (Form AOC - 1)
forms part of the Annual Report.
6. Corporate Governance Report and Code of Conduct
The Corporate Governance Report for the financial year 2023-24 is attached as Annexure
"B" to this Report. All the Directors of the Company and senior management
personnel have confirmed compliance of Code of Conduct and Ethics of the Company. The
declaration of Managing Director confirming compliance with the Code of Conduct and
Ethics' of the Company is enclosed as Annexure "C" to this Report and
Auditor's Certificate regarding compliance with the conditions of Corporate Governance is
enclosed as Annexure "D" to this Report.
7. Subsidiaries and Joint Venture
The details of the subsidiaries and joint venture as on March 31, 2024 are given below:
(a) Subsidiaries
CFCL Ventures Limited (CVL) is a subsidiary of your Company in Cayman Islands. CVL has
two step down subsidiaries namely, ISGN Corporation in United States of America and
ISG Novasoft Technologies Limited (ISGN, India) in India. There was no business activity
in these subsidiaries during the year under review.
Hon'ble National Company Law Tribunal, Bengaluru Bench (NCLT) passed an order on
January 24, 2023, confirming reduction of equity share capital of ISGN India. Accordingly,
during the year under review, the paid-up equity share capital of ISGN, India has been
reduced from Rs. 36,23,07,000 (3,62,30,700 equity shares of Rs. 10 each fully paid up) to
Rs. 6,68,07,000 (66,80,700 equity shares of Rs. 10 each fully paid up) pending completion
of certain procedural requirements required for reduction of its equity share capital as
provided in relevant rules and the order of NCLT.
Chambal Infrastructure Ventures Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company in
India. There was no business activity in this subsidiary during the year under review.
(b) Joint Venture: Indo Maroc Phosphore S. A. - IMACID
Indo Maroc Phosphore S. A. - IMACID (IMACID) is a joint venture of your Company in
Morocco with Tata Chemicals Limited and OCP S.A., Morocco. Each partner has an
equal stake i.e. 33.33% in the joint venture. IMACID is engaged in the manufacture of
phosphoric acid in Morocco.
The performance of IMACID is summarized below:
Particulars |
April 01, 2023 to March 31, 2024 |
April 01, 2022 to March 31, 2023 |
Production of Phosphoric Acid (MT) |
4,36,404 |
3,89,867 |
Sales of Phosphoric Acid (MT) |
3,76,676 |
3,87,090 |
Revenue |
Moroccan Dirham 3,576.27 Million (Rs. 2,918.24 Crore) |
Moroccan Dirham 5,323.13 Million (Rs. 4,088.16 Crore) |
Profit after Tax |
Moroccan Dirham 295.74 Million (Rs. 241.33 Crore) |
Moroccan Dirham 224.72 Million (Rs. 172.58 Crore) |
Sales Turnover was lower during the financial year 2023-24 due to price variance
however, Profit after Tax increased during the same period due to better margins as
compared to the previous year. The Company does not have any material subsidiary as per
the provisions of the Listing Regulations.
The performance of the subsidiaries of the Company is summarized in Form AOC - 1
attached to the Financial Statements of the Company in pursuance of Section 129 of the
Companies Act, 2013. The contribution of subsidiaries and joint venture to the overall
performance of the Company is also provided in Note no. 46 to the Consolidated Financial
Statements.
The Company shall place the financial statements of subsidiaries on its website in
pursuance of Section 136 of the Companies Act, 2013.
No subsidiary, associate or joint venture has been acquired or ceased/ sold /
liquidated during the financial year 2023-24.
8. Health, Safety, Environment Protection and Quality
The Company continuously strives to improve the standards of Health, Safety, Security,
Environment Protection and Quality of products. The Company has implemented a Health,
Safety, Security, Environment & Quality Policy as part of a formal process to achieve
the above objective. Brief outline of the Company's initiatives in this regard is, as
under:
(a) Health & Hygiene
Your Company gives due importance to health assessment and monitoring of occupational
disease of employees and contractor's work force, which is carried out through periodic
medical examination and hygiene monitoring at workplace. A well-equipped Occupational
Health Center at Gadepan operates round the clock to provide health services to employees
and their families, contractor's workforce and villagers in the vicinity of the plant.
Well-equipped ambulances are available at Gadepan which also cater to the requirements of
villagers in medical emergencies. The Company facilitates employees with specialist doctor
consultation at the health center of Gadepan, and basic infrastructure for dental &
eye checkup has also been developed. The Primary Health Centre (PHC) close to Gadepan has
been equipped with X-ray, ECG, and pathological lab test machines provided by the Company.
The Company organizes training and awareness programs on health and hygiene related
matters from time to time, through external experts. In addition to this, various health
camps and campaigns like pulse polio & swine _u vaccination, blood donation,
immunization program for children, etc. are organized periodically. The self-sustainable
complex at Gadepan provides a hygienic and healthy environment for the employees and their
families, significantly contributing to their overall welfare.
(b) Safety Management
In order to ensure the highest levels of health and safety of employees and
contractors, a well-defined health and safety management system is in place in your
Company. A robust process safety management system is also in place to ensure safe
operation of plants and maintenance of equipment and machinery. In order to cover the
safety aspects of maintenance jobs, a cross-functional team comprising members of senior
management team review the jobs from safety perspective on daily basis, and ensure that
all recommended safety measures are followed to mitigate hazards during execution of the
work. Extensive safety training and drills are conducted by internal and external experts,
which help the Company to maintain and improve the safety systems. Your Company has also
strengthened workplace safety by implementing various safety improvement programs basis
learnings gathered from other industries/companies. As recognized globally that major
cause of accidents/incidents is human behavior, a system of Behavior Based Safety was
implemented in operation as well as maintenance activities.
With a view to promote participation, consultation, and ownership of the work by
contractor's associates, number of contractor safety supervisors has been increased for
better monitoring and safe execution of the work. Various road safety measures such as
pedestrian paths, drain protection, fixed speed monitoring cameras at strategic locations,
floor markings, safety signages and other visual management measures have been taken to
prevent accidents, as per recommendations of the expert agency. Improvement in the working
environment has been achieved by way of provision of fresh air supply system and regular
illumination survey.
CCTV surveillance system has been installed in most vulnerable areas, such as loading
and unloading of hazardous chemicals, to strengthen safety. "Near-Miss" and
"Make-to-Good" reporting systems are also in place and various programs and
campaigns are organized to encourage safety awareness and involvement of employees and
contractor staff.
As a responsible corporate citizen, a special drive was initiated in collaboration with
State Disaster Response Force, Kota, wherein a joint mock drill was organized to check
effectiveness of the disaster management plan. Given the nature of its operations, the
Company has a well-defined "On-Site Disaster Management Plan" and "Mutual
Aid and Response Group" with neighbouring industries, which operates for the mutual
benefit of all. In case of fire emergency, the Company provides services to the
neighbouring villages.
The accident rate has significantly reduced over the years due to strengthening of the
safety management system.
(c) Environment Protection
Your Company gives importance to protection of the environment and conservation of
natural resources. The Company has established a state-of-the-art Environment Management
Cell which hosts a fully functional laboratory with modern testing and monitoring
equipments, to ensure all emissions are within permissible limits. The said facility also
ensures that the Company complies with the relevant national and local regulations with
respect to environment. Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems and Continuous E_uent
Quality Monitoring Systems are installed to monitor any deviation in the applicable
parameters. There is due focus on optimization of resource usage (including raw materials
and water) and reduction of waste generation and emissions to the atmosphere.
Hazardous and electronic wastes are disposed of through authorized vendors. Bio-degradable
wastes from canteen, guesthouse and campus are utilized for generating bio-gas in
Bio-Methanation plant. The Company imparts importance to environmental awareness by way of
regular promotional campaigns, training, environment and safety committee meetings and
emergency drills. A dense green belt with variety of trees has been developed, and regular
plantation is done in the campus to provide a soothing and healthy environment for people
working/residing in and around the township. The campus is a habitat to many species of
birds. Your Company uses only treated wastewater to maintain the green belt through
irrigation network spread all over the complex. Gadepan-III plant is a zero liquid
discharge plant, and e_uent from the said plant is treated in reverse osmosis-zero liquid
discharge plant and permeate from reverse osmosis-zero liquid discharge plant is used as
make up water for cooling towers, which has resulted in lesser intake of fresh water from
the river around the campus. During the financial year 2023-24, approximately 85% of the
sludge generated from reverse osmosis plant was sent to cement companies for
co-processing, instead of dumping in land fill at the site approved by the Rajasthan State
Pollution Control Board.
The Company is conscious of its responsibility towards environmental sustainability.
The Company has installed roof top solar panels in Gadepan campus having capacity of 1000
KW peak power, as a step towards use of renewable energy, which has resulted in
substitution of 15% of grid power utilized in the Gadepan complex during financial year
2023-24. During the financial year 2023-24, the Company has implemented various schemes to
reduce energy consumption in the plants. These schemes will result in significant
reduction of greenhouse gases emissions and saving of natural resources like Natural Gas
and water. Single Use Plastic' is strictly banned in the Gadepan campus as per
government guidelines.
(d) Quality Management
Your Company is known for its quality products, and commitment to quality is the core
of its existence. The Company has been continuously working towards improvement in product
quality through process improvements and technology interventions. The Company has inbuilt
highly reliable quality check systems as per the approved norms of applicable laws. The
Company has been taking corrective and preventive measures promptly, wherever required in
cases of sample analysis deviations, workplace environmental upset incidents, by proper
investigation and root cause analysis. Quality is ensured at all stages of manufacturing
processes, maintenance, and support services. Urea manufactured by the Company is
preferred in its marketing territory due to quality. The Company sources the products
marketed by it from reputed manufacturers in India and abroad, and appropriate measures
are taken to ensure quality of the products. Customer feedback is collected by way of
targeted surveys, and they are given due importance by the Company, as it is one of the
most important tool for recognizing the areas of improvement.
9. Corporate Social Responsibility
Embracing the vision of "Investing Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow", your
Company has adopted a community centric approach for its Corporate Social Responsibility
projects and programmes, which are aligned with broader global goals for sustainable and
inclusive development. The Company is investing in the area of Education including
Technical and Vocational Education, Rural Development, Healthcare and Sanitation,
Employability and Empowerment, Environmental Sustainability, Animal Welfare and Soil
Health, and Promotion of Sports.
Highlights of the Corporate Social Responsibility ("CSR") projects and
programmes of the Company during the financial year 2023-24, are as under: a) Project
Akshar - Pre-Primary & School Education
Your Company has adopted one more Government school during the financial year 2023-24,
taking the total number of adopted institutions to 54 Government schools and 47 Aanganwadi
centers in Kota and Baran districts of Rajasthan. The education project has supported
nearly 10,000 rural students by providing access to science subjects, digital learning,
computer education, extra-curricular activities, and sports as an integral part of course
curriculum. In order to broaden the project's outreach, 32 Government schools of Haryana,
Punjab and Madhya Pradesh were supported by providing dual desks, digital SMART classes,
bookshelves, and study material etc. Furthermore, to promote girl child education,
assistance was provided to one school in Uttarakhand. Chambal Fertilisers DAV School at
Gadepan is run in collaboration with Dayanand Anglo Vedic College Trust & Management
Society, wherein majority of students are from nearby villages of plant location.
Your Company facilitated 22 meritorious students to join engineering and medical
entrance exams coaching classes from prestigious coaching centers of Kota, while also
mandating career counselling in secondary and senior secondary classes to guide them
towards career oriented higher education paths.
During the financial year 2023-24, three new Aanganwadi centers and 16 additional rooms
in 7 Government schools were constructed in neighbouring villages of plant location.
Additionally, renovation work was undertaken in 6 Government Aanganwadi centers and 18
Government schools.
The Government of Rajasthan conferred Bhamashah Award - "Shiksha Vibhushan"
to the Company for 5th consecutive year, for exemplary efforts in the field of
education in Kota and Baran districts. b) Project Saksham - Technical and Vocational
Education
Upskilling youth for better employment opportunities, especially from underprivileged
and marginalized sections of society, is the core of this project. Through adopted 5
Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Government Polytechnic College, skill training
programs were offered to the rural youth. During the financial year 2023-24, Government
Polytechnic College at Baran obtained a_liation of Diploma in Chemical Engineering branch,
while ITI Jhalawar secured a_liation for Solar Technician Trade. As a result, ITIs are now
offering 1364 seats annually, compared to 1316 seats last year, and Government Polytechnic
College is offering 360 seats annually, compared to 240 seats last year. These new
employable trades are expected to create more and better job opportunities for rural
youth, consequently enhancing standards of living of their families. To improve the job
prospects of youth, the Company offered several certificate courses such as Occupational
Health and First Aid, Fire & Safety and Personality Development, to the students at
these technical institutes. With focus on academic excellence and practical exposure,
around 500 students successfully received placement offers from various good companies
during the financial year 2023-24. Your Company actively encourages youth from the nearby
community, particularly girls, to acquire new skills through vocational training courses
organized in the villages. The project offered short term vocational courses such as
advanced tailoring, food processing, beauty services, handicraft making, solar panel
assembling, motor driving and plumbing etc. c) Project Saakar - Rural Development
Your Company's comprehensive interventions are designed to uplift the infrastructure
facilities of nearby villages of district Kota, Baran and Bundi of Rajasthan. During the
financial year 2023-24, focus was given to develop community halls, community common
spaces, recreational centers, storm water drain network, entrance gates, cement concrete
roads, interlocking tile walkways etc. Streetlights were also installed in 3 villages
located near plant location to create a safe environment for the community during night
hours. Seven open gym facilities were established by the Company in nearby villages to
promote a healthy lifestyle amongst community members. Additionally, few schools were
renovated to strengthen infrastructure facilities for quality education. Nearby villages
of plant location at Gadepan are being developed under the model village scheme with all
basic amenities and infrastructure facilities for the community. The Company also
facilitated the community by providing potable drinking water at their doorsteps. d)
Project Arogya - Health care and Sanitation
Project Arogya offers easy access to quality healthcare facilities to rural folks in
Kota, Baran and Bundi districts of Rajasthan. The adoption of Government Primary Health
Center (PHC) Bamori in Kota District increased the healthcare support network to existing
four PHCs. Furthermore, with the idea of making these institutions self-sustainable in
electricity, solar panels of 20 KW capacity each were installed in the PHCs at Gadepan,
Simliya and Kundanpur. As a pro-active measure, healthcare facilities were extended in 26
villages and over 100 academic institutions adopted under your Company's CSR initiatives.
These efforts have translated into tangible results, with approximately 1,30,000
individuals accessing OPD services and pathological lab test facilities annually in PHCs
and around 70,000 community members receiving benefit from health camps and awareness
sessions on health-related topics. Initiatives, such as Women Health Clubs and Health
Ambassador programs, promoted active participation of women and students in healthcare
activities, wherein around 400 women folk and around 150 students of nearby 26 villages
facilitated the community members to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Your Company has also
installed 38 Reverse Osmosis and water coolers units in selected schools in Haryana and
Punjab to ensure safe drinking water facilities for students. e) Project Pragati -
Employability and Empowerment
Your Company has established a state-of-the-art skill center namely "Chambal
Fertilisers Skill Institute" near its plant at Gadepan, which is currently offering
three vocational courses. During the financial year 2023-24, nearly 150 students passed
from this institute and achieved 100% placement across various organizations. The
institute also offers mandatory training on personality development, soft skills,
computer, and information technology skills and "on-the-job training" to each
student. The Company is also extending support to rural women folks to create self-help
groups in villages and initiate income generation activities. These women self-help groups
focus on making various hand made products under "One Village - One Product"
concept to become self-reliant and financially independent. f) Project Bhoomi -
Environmental Sustainability, Animal Welfare and Soil Health
"Crop Residue Management" and "Sustainable Agriculture" initiatives
of the Company were extended to more than 380 villages of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab
during the financial year 2023-24. Project Bhoomi achieved successful milestones,
including saving of nearly 3.67 lakh tonnes of Green House Gas emission and prevention of
crop residue burning in about 2.38 lakh acre land during the paddy harvesting season in
Haryana and Punjab. The initiative successfully reached out to over one lakh small and
marginalized farmers during the financial Year 2023-24.
The agriculture development laboratory at Gadepan continues to facilitate farming
community to access soil testing services for their farmland. During the financial year
2023-24, approximately 31,500 soil samples were tested, and farm advisory services were
extended to the farmers to provide valuable insight on soil health and enable them to take
informed decisions for optimized agricultural productivity.
The Company is consistently making efforts to ensure conservation of natural resources,
particularly water. Rainwater harvesting structures were established in five schools,
while five community ponds were rejuvenated in nearby villages of plant location.
Additionally, to promote energy self-sufficiency, solar panels of cumulative 103.50 KW
capacity were installed in 29 institutions adopted under CSR initiatives of the Company. g)
Promotion of Sports
The Company is focused on creating sports infrastructure facilities in rural academic
spaces i.e. schools and technical institutions. Seven sports development centres and one
stadium at Sangod were established to promote sportsmanship amongst students and youth.
Sports are promoted as an integral part of the curriculum, focusing on development of core
strengths of students and encouraging them to participate in sports events at various
state and national levels.
Apart from sports events at schools and cluster levels, the Company has organized
various sports events such as futsal, mini marathon, cricket league, in rural areas during
the financial year 2023-24. Continuous training and support by the Company have encouraged
the students to participate in seven state and national level events, making ways for
their bright career in sports.
The CSR obligation of your Company in terms of the applicable provisions of the
Companies Act, 2013 and Rules made thereunder for the financial year 2023-24, is Rs. 35.16
Crore. Your Company has spent Rs. 35.25 Crore on various CSR projects / programmes during
the year under review. The composition and terms of reference of Corporate Social
Responsibility Committee are given in the Corporate Governance Report. The Corporate
Social Responsibility Policy of the Company is available on the website of the Company at
http://www.chambalfertilisers.com/csroverview. The Annual Report on Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) activities for the financial year 2023-24 (including the details of
the development and implementation of the Corporate Social Responsibility Policy) as
prescribed under Section 135 of the Companies Act, 2013 and the Companies (Corporate
Social Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 is attached as Annexure "F" to
this Report.
10. Directors and Key Managerial Personnel
As on March 31, 2024, the Board of Directors of your Company comprised of eight
directors. The Board composition includes a Managing Director and seven Non-Executive
Directors, of which four are Independent Directors (including one women independent
director). Mr. Gaurav Mathur ceased to be Managing Director and Key Managerial Personnel
of the Company w.e.f. July 21, 2023. The Board of Directors at its meeting held on
July 20, 2023 appointed Mr. Abhay Baijal as Managing Director for a period of two years
i.e. from July 21, 2023 to July 20, 2025, which was approved by the shareholders of
the Company at their Annual General Meeting held on September 12, 2023.
The shareholders of the Company at their Annual General Meeting held on September 12,
2023 re-appointed Mr. Vivek Mehra as Independent Director, to hold office for second term
of 5 (five) consecutive years from September 18, 2023 to September 17, 2028. The Board of
Directors is of the opinion that Mr. Vivek Mehra is a person of integrity. In his long
professional career, he has worked in the areas of tax and regulatory aspects of mergers
and acquisitions, focusing on cross border investment and transaction structuring. He
possesses the requisite expertise and experience for re-appointment as Independent
Director. The name of Mr. Vivek Mehra is exempt from the requirement to undertake online
pro_ciency self-assessment test conducted by the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs.
Mr. Saroj Kumar Poddar, Chairman retires by rotation at the forthcoming Annual General
Meeting, and being eligible, has offered himself for re-appointment. Mr. Saroj Kumar
Poddar attained the age of 75 years on September 15, 2020. Pursuant to Regulation 17(1A)
of the Listing Regulations, the Board of Directors, on recommendation of Nomination and
Remuneration Committee, recommends to the shareholders of the Company, approval for
re-appointment of Mr. Saroj Kumar Poddar as Director of the Company, liable to retire by
rotation, by way of special resolution. The tenure of Mr. Pradeep Jyoti Banerjee as
Independent Director shall come to an end on November 30, 2024. Mr. Pradeep Jyoti
Banerjee, being eligible, has offered himself for re-appointment as Independent Director.
On recommendation of Nomination and Remuneration Committee, the Board of Directors
recommend to the shareholders of the Company, re-appointment of Mr. Pradeep Jyoti Banerjee
as Independent Director, to hold office for second term of 5 (five) consecutive years from
December 01, 2024 to November 30, 2029.
Mr. Rajveer Singh ceased to be Company Secretary and Key Managerial Personnel from
close of business hours on May 5, 2023. On recommendation of Nomination and Remuneration
Committee, the Board of Directors appointed Mr. Anuj Jain as Company Secretary and Key
Managerial Personnel w.e.f. May 6, 2023, and he relinquished the said offices from close
of business hours on November 3, 2023. The Board of Directors, on recommendation of
Nomination and Remuneration Committee, appointed Mr. Tridib Kumar Barat as Company
Secretary and Key Managerial Personnel w.e.f. November 4, 2023.
All the Independent Directors have submitted declaration that they meet the criteria of
independence as provided under Section 149(6) of the Companies Act, 2013, rules framed
thereunder and the Listing Regulations. In terms of Section 150 of the Companies Act, 2013
read with Rule 6 of the Companies (Appointment and Qualification of Directors) Rules,
2014, as amended, the names of all the Independent Directors of the Company have been
included in the data bank maintained by the Indian Institute of Corporate Affairs.
During the financial year 2023-24, Mr. Gaurav Mathur and Mr. Abhay Baijal did not draw
any remuneration or commission from the subsidiary companies. Eight meetings of the Board
of Directors were held during the financial year 2023-24. Other requisite information on
the Directors and Board Meetings is provided in the Corporate Governance Report attached
as Annexure "B" to this Report. Certificate of a Company Secretary in
practice confirming that none of the Directors on the Board of Directors of the Company
have been debarred or disqualified from being appointed or continuing as director of
companies by the Securities and Exchange Board of India /Ministry of Corporate Affairs or
any such statutory authority, is enclosed as Annexure "E" to this Report.
11. Internal Financial Controls
The Company has internal financial controls commensurate with the size and nature of
its business. The Company has policies and procedures in place for ensuring orderly and
efficient conduct of its business and operations, including adherence to the Company's
policies, safeguarding its assets, prevention and detection of frauds & errors,
accuracy & completeness of accounting records and timely preparation of reliable
financial information.
The details of the internal control system are also given in the Management Discussion
and Analysis Report attached as Annexure "A" to this Report.
12. Remuneration Policy
In pursuance of the provisions of Section 178 of the Companies Act, 2013 and the
Listing Regulations, the Company has formulated the Remuneration Policy. The Remuneration
Policy outlines, inter-alia, the appointment criteria & qualification
requirements, process for appointment & removal, retirement policy, remuneration
structure, etc. of the Directors including Managing Director and Whole Time Director(s),
Key Managerial Personnel (KMP') and other senior management personnel of the
Company. As per the Remuneration Policy of the Company, a person proposed to be appointed
as Director, KMP or other senior management personnel should be a person of integrity with
high level of ethical standards. In case of appointment as an Independent Director, the
person should fulfill the criteria of independence prescribed under the Companies Act,
2013, rules framed thereunder and the Listing Regulations. The Remuneration Policy also
contains provisions about the payment of fixed & variable components of remuneration
to the Managing Director and Whole Time Director(s) and payment of sitting fee and
commission to the Non-Executive Directors, and describes fundamental principles for
determination of remuneration of senior management personnel and other employees. There is
no change in the Remuneration Policy during the year under review. The Remuneration
Policy of the Company is available on the website of the Company at the weblink:
http://chambalfertilisers.com/pdf/RemunerationPolicy.pdf.
13. Disclosures under the Companies Act, 2013, Rules thereunder and Secretarial
Standards a) Your Company has not issued any shares during the financial year 2023-24.
Buyback of Equity Shares
During the year under review, your Company has bought back 1,55,55,555 fully paid-up
equity shares of face value of Rs. 10/- each (representing 3.74% of the paid-up equity
share capital of the Company as on March 31, 2023) at a price of Rs. 450/- per equity
share for an aggregate consideration of Rs. 700 crore (excluding tax), on proportionate
basis through the tender offer route, in accordance with the provisions contained in the
Companies Act, 2013 and the rules made thereunder, and the Securities and Exchange Board
of India (Buy-Back of Securities) Regulations, 2018. Consequently, the paid-up equity
share capital of the Company has been reduced from Rs. 416.21 Crore to Rs. 400.65 Crore
with effect from February 13, 2024. b) No significant and material orders have been passed
by the regulators or courts or tribunals or statutory and quasi-judicial bodies impacting
the going concern status and Company's operations in future. c) All related party
transactions entered during the financial year 2023-24, were on arm's length basis and in
the ordinary course of business. No material related party transaction (in terms of the
Company's Policy on Related Party Transactions) was entered into during the year and no
contracts or arrangements were entered during the year with related parties which are
required to be disclosed under Section 134(3)(h) of the Companies Act, 2013 in Form AOC-2.
d) A copy of annual return of the Company is available on the website of the Company at
the weblink: http://chambalfertilisers.com/annualreturns/ e) Following information is
given in the Corporate Governance Report attached as Annexure "B" to this
Report: i) Performance evaluation of the Board of Directors, committees of the Board of
Directors, Chairman and individual Directors; ii) Composition of Audit Committee; and iii)
Details of establishment of Vigil Mechanism/Whistle Blower Policy. f) The particulars of
loans and guarantees given, security provided and investments made, if any, under Section
186 of the Companies Act, 2013 are provided in Notes to the Financial Statements. g)
During the financial year 2023-24, the auditor, secretarial auditor and cost auditor have
not reported any fraud under Section 143(12) of the Companies Act, 2013 and the Companies
(Audit and Auditors) Rules, 2014. h) The Company has complied with the applicable
Secretarial Standards prescribed under Section 118(10) of the Companies Act, 2013. i) The
Company has complied with the provisions relating to the constitution of Internal
Complaints Committees under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention,
Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. j) There have been no material changes and
commitments affecting the financial position of the Company, which have occurred between
the end of the financial year 2023-24 and the date of this Report.
14. Directors Responsibility Statement
Your Directors hereby state that: a) in the preparation of the annual accounts, the
applicable accounting standards have been followed and no material departures have been
made from the same; b) the Directors have selected such accounting policies and applied
them consistently and made judgments and estimates that are reasonable and prudent so as
to give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the Company as at March 31, 2024
and of the profit of the Company for the year ended March 31, 2024; c) the Directors have
taken proper and sufficient care for the maintenance of adequate accounting records in
accordance with the provisions of the Companies Act, 2013 for safeguarding the assets of
the Company and for preventing and detecting fraud and other irregularities; d) the
Directors have prepared the annual accounts on a going concern basis; e) the Directors
have laid down internal financial controls to be followed by the Company and that such
internal financial controls are adequate and operating effectively; and f) the Directors
have devised proper systems to ensure compliance with the provisions of all applicable
laws and that such systems are adequate and operating effectively.
15. Auditor and Cost Auditor
The Notes to the Financial Statements read with the Auditor's Reports are
self-explanatory and therefore do not call for further comments or explanations. There is
no qualification, reservation, disclaimer or adverse remark in the Auditor's Reports.
The shareholders of the Company at their Annual General Meeting held on September 13,
2022, had re-appointed M/s. Price Waterhouse Chartered Accountants LLP (Firm Registration
Number: 012754N/ N500016) as Auditor, to hold office for the second term of 5 (five)
consecutive years from the conclusion of 37th Annual General Meeting till the
conclusion of 42nd Annual General Meeting.
The requirement of maintenance of cost records as specified by the Central Government
under sub-section (1) of Section 148 of the Companies Act, 2013, is applicable to the
Company in respect of production of fertilisers, and accordingly the said accounts and
records are made and maintained by the Company. The Board of Directors of the Company has
appointed M/s. K.G. Goyal & Associates, Cost Accountants for conducting the audit of
cost records of the Company, as applicable, for the financial year ending March 31, 2025.
As required under the Companies Act, 2013 and Rules framed thereunder, your Directors are
seeking rati_cation from the members of the Company for the remuneration payable to M/s.
K.G. Goyal & Associates, Cost Accountants.
16. Secretarial Audit
The Board of Directors of the Company had appointed M/s. RMG & Associates, Company
Secretaries for conducting the secretarial audit of the Company for the financial year
2023-24. The Secretarial Audit Report issued by the aforesaid Secretarial Auditor is
attached as Annexure"G" to this Report. There is no qualification,
reservation, observation, disclaimer or adverse remark in the Secretarial Audit Report.
17. Energy Conservation, Technology Absorption and Foreign Exchange Earnings and Outgo
Energy conservation is of paramount importance for sustainability of operations, and it
also results into saving of natural and financial resources. Your Company consistently
makes efforts to operate its manufacturing facilities and allied operations with energy
efficiency, and evaluates avenues to use alternate sources of energy, to reduce carbon
footprint from time to time. The requisite information with regard to conservation of
energy, technology absorption and foreign exchange earnings and outgo in terms of the
Companies (Accounts) Rules, 2014 is set out in Annexure "H" attached to
this Report.
18. Risk Management
Your Company has developed and implemented a Risk Management Policy. The Risk
Management Committee periodically reviews the risks, finalizes the risk document and
monitors various risks, including the risks, if any, which may threaten the existence of
the Company. The composition and terms of reference of the Risk Management Committee are
given in the Corporate Governance Report. The risk document containing key risks and
non-key risks, including way forward for mitigation thereof, as approved by the Risk
Management Committee, is periodically reviewed by the Audit Committee and the Board of
Directors.
19. Deposits
During the year under review, the Company did not accept any deposit from the public
under Chapter V of the Companies Act, 2013. There was no public deposit outstanding as at
the beginning and end of the financial year 2023-24.
20. Particulars of employees
Your Company believes that human resource is important for the growth and
sustainability of an organization. The Company always strives to keep its human
resource motivated, promotes the culture of entrepreneurship at all levels in the
organization and encourages merits and healthy relations. The information required to be
disclosed in pursuance of Section 197 of the Companies Act, 2013, read with the Companies
(Appointment and Remuneration of Managerial Personnel) Rules, 2014, is attached as Annexure
"I" to this Report.
21. Employees Stock Option Scheme
The members of the Company had approved the CFCL Employees Stock Option Scheme
2010', as amended from time to time ("ESOS 2010"), for grant of stock options
exercisable into not more than 41,62,000 equity shares of face value of Rs. 10/- each to
the eligible employees and Whole Time Director(s)/ Managing Director of the Company. Each
stock option, when exercised, is converted into one fully paid-up equity share of Rs. 10/-
of the Company. The Company did not grant any stock options during the year under review.
During the financial year 2023-24, ESOS 2010 was completed, as all the eligible employees
had exercised their stock options. For the purpose of ESOS 2010, the Trustee of the CFCL
Employees Welfare Trust holds nil' equity shares of the Company as on March
31, 2024 (68,000 equity shares as on March 31, 2023). The Trustee did not exercise voting
rights in respect of the aforesaid shares during the financial year 2023-24.
The disclosures required to be made under ESOP Regulations are given on the website of
the Company at the weblink: https://www.chambalfertilisers.com/pdf/ESOP-Disclosure-2023-24.pdf.
The disclosures in respect of ESOS 2010 are also given in the Notes to the Financial
Statements.
22. Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report
In pursuance of the provisions of the Listing Regulations, the Business Responsibility
and Sustainability Report for the financial year 2023-24, outlining the initiatives
of the Company from environmental, social and governance perspective, forms part of the
Annual Report.
23. Investor Service Centre
The in-house Investor Service Centre of your Company is located at the Corporate Office
of the Company at New Delhi which provides prompt and efficient service to the investors.
The Company takes various initiatives for investor awareness from time to time, including
sending reminders to investors about their unclaimed dividends and shares due for transfer
to the Investor Education and Protection Fund. The equity shares of your Company are
listed at National Stock Exchange of India Limited and BSE Limited. The Company has paid
annual listing fees to these Stock Exchanges for the financial year 2024-25. The members
are requested to the refer to general shareholders' information given in Corporate
Governance Report attached hereto.
24. Acknowledgements
The Board of Directors wish to place on record its appreciation of the support and co-
operation extended by all the stakeholders, including the Department of Fertilizers,
Government of India, Government of Rajasthan and other State Governments, Financial
Institutions & Banks, investors and customers. The Board of Directors also appreciate
the utmost commitment, hard work and dedication of the employees at all levels.