GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS,

FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO: 111

ANSWERED ON:03.03.2015

BUFFER NORMS FOR FOODGRAINS

ANANT KUMAR DATTATREYA HEGDE

(a) the details of the norms and actual buffer stock of various foodgrains kept in the godowns of Food Corporation of India (FCI) and other public procurement agencies, commodity-wise;

(b) whether the Government has fixed fresh limits for foodgrain stocks to be kept as buffer/strategic stocks;

(c) if so, the details thereof indicating the quantum of foodgrains to be kept in reserve and strategic stocks and the basis for determining the new limits along with the reasons therefor;

(d) whether the new limit is likely to create excessive foodgrain stocks in the FCI godowns; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and the strategy worked out to offload the excess stocks of foodgrains?

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTIONbe pleased to state:- 

MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRI RAMVILAS PASWAN)

(a) to (e):A Statement is laid on the Table of the House. STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS

(a) to (e) OF THE STARRED QUESTION NO. 111 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 03.03.2015 IN THE LOK SABHA

(a): The stocks of foodgrains in the Central Pool as on 16.02.2015 was 14.43 million tons of rice and 20.94 million tons of wheat against the buffer norms of 7.61 million tons of rice and 13.80 million tons of wheat for January-March quarter.

(b) to (e): Revised buffer norms for the Central Pool from January 2015 are as under:-

(In Million Tons) As on Operational Strategic Total Grand Total Stocks Reserve Rice Wheat Rice Wheat Rice Wheat

1stApr 11.58 4.46 2.00 3.00 13.58 7.46 21.04

1stJul 11.54 24.58 2.00 3.00 13.54 27.58 41.12

1stOct 8.25 17.52 2.00 3.00 10.25 20.52 30.77

1stJan 5.61 10.80 2.00 3.00 7.61 13.80 21.41

 The buffer norms were previously fixed almost 10 years ago. Since then the distributional requirement of foodgrains have increased substantially, especially in the wake of enactment of National Food Security Act (NFSA). Hence, the buffer norms have been revised for effective management of foodgrains in the Central Pool. Operational stocks component of the buffer norms have been determined keeping in view the pattern of procurement of foodgrains in the Central Pool and its offtake under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).

The strategic reserve has been kept for meeting the exigencies of production shortfall arising out of crop failure due to drought or flood or any other natural calamity. The buffer norms so determined are required for meeting the distributional requirements and the exigencies and therefore are reasonable. The stock of foodgrains in excess of the buffer norms will be offloaded through open sale in the domestic market or through exports.