MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
UNSTARRED
QUESTION NO . 3400
ANSWERED ON 27.08.2010
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to satate :-
(a) the details of national policy for procurement of major foodgrains;
(b) whether it is a fact that Government has been procuring food items beyond prescribed norms;
(c) if so, the reasons therefor;
(d) whether it is also a fact that the current storage facilities are not sufficient to meet the procurement levels;
(e) the details of storage facility required and currently available;
(f) whether Government is contemplating policy of involving private sector to create storage facilities; and (g) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(PROF. K.V. THOMAS)
(a), (b) and (c) : Under the existing policy for foodgrains procurement, Government procures food grains (wheat, rice and coarse grains) conforming to uniform specifications at Minimum Support Price (MSP) from the farmers through Food Corporation of India (FCI) and state agencies procuring on behalf of FCI for the Central Pool. As such, procurement of food grains is open ended wherein all the food grains offered by farmers are procured. Farmers have a choice to sell it to FCI/State Agencies at MSP or to sell in the open market whichever is advantageous to them. Because of remunerative MSP, procurement as percentage of production has been increasing.
(d) and (e): Yes,Sir. The total storage capacity available with the FCI(as on 30.6.2010) and State agencies (as on 31.3.2010) is 601.94 lakh MTs of which covered is 409.78 lakh MTs. The total stock in central pool as on 1.8.2010 was 544.30 lakh tonnes.
(f) and (g): To augment storage capacity, Government has formulated a scheme for construction of godown through private entrepreneurs by FCI. A ten year guarantee is given to investors under the scheme. About 149.40 lakh tonnes of storage capacity in 16 States has been identified for construction of godowns under the scheme. Under this scheme, CWC and SWCs are also constructing 10.74 lakh tonnes capacity on their own lands.
In addition FCI is constructing godowns under Plan funds in NE States, J&K, U.T. of Lakshdweep & new procuring States of Orissa, Bihar & Karnataka. The details of project of construction of godowns by FCI in 11th Plan are at Annexure.
Annexure referred to in reply to part (f) & (g) of the Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3400 for answer on 27.08.2010
PROJECTS COMPLETED BY FCI UNDER XITH PLAN
Sl.No.
|
Name of
Zone/Centre
|
2007-08
|
2008-09
|
2009-10
|
OTHER THAN NORTH EAST
|
1.
|
Tumkur/Karnataka
|
5,000
|
|
|
2.
|
Dungrapalli/Orissa
|
|
|
10,000
|
NORTH EAST INCLUDING SIKKIM
|
1.
|
Bualpui/Mizoram
|
4,590
|
|
|
2.
|
Badarpurghat/Assam
|
5,000
|
|
|
3.
|
Chaulkhowa/Assam
|
2,500
|
|
|
4.
|
Nandannagar/Tripura
|
|
2,500
|
|
GRAND TOTAL
|
17,090
|
2,500
|
10,000
|
ONGOING PROJECTS WITH FCI
Sl. No.
|
Centre
/State
|
Capacity
(in MTs)
|
North East Region
|
1.
|
Changasari/Assam
|
50,000
|
2.
|
Hailakandi/Assam
|
5,000
|
3.
|
Kohima/Nagaland
|
5,000
|
4.
|
Nandannagar/Tripura
|
2,500
|
5.
|
Jiribam/Manipur
|
2,500
|
6.
|
Senapati/Manipur
|
5000
|
7.
|
Churachandpur/Manipur
|
2,500
|
8.
|
Jorthang/Sikkim
|
5,000
|
Other than NE Region
|
1.
|
Lakshadweep/UT
|
2,500
|
2.
|
Dungrapally/Orissa
|
10,000
|
3.
|
Baripada/Orissa
|
10,000
|
4
|
Mohania/Bihar
|
25,000
|
5.
|
Udhampur/J&K
|
15,000
|
6.
|
Budgam/J&K
|
20,000
|
