GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 3276

ANSWERED ON:17.03.2015

FOODGRAIN PROCUREMENT IN SURPLUS STATES

(a) whether the Food Corporation of India has not made any arrangement to procure foodgrains from some States which are included in the surplus category in respect of foodgrains availability;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor indicating the names of such States;

(c) whether surplus foodgrain is available for sale in each of the said States; and

(d) if so, the number of foodgrain procurement centres proposed to be set up in the said States and the time by which these centres are likely to be set up in future? 

ANSWER

 MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

(SHRI RAMVILAS PASWAN)

 (a) & (b): Before the onset of a particular marketing season, the Department of Food & Public Distribution convene a meeting of the State Food Secretaries to decide upon the targets of procurement of foodgrains based on the estimates prepared by the States looking at crop prospects and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) makes arran- gements for procurement of foodgrains in association with the State Government Agencies (SGAs) in various States. Even though marketable surplus of wheat and rice exists in most of the producing States, however, surplus procurement of wheat/ rice over and above the requirement of the State under Food Security Programmes has been taking place in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Telangana and Uttarakhand only. Among these States, the procurement operations in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tela- ngana and Uttarakhand are undertaken in decentralized mode (DCP), either fully or partially and only SGAs are doing the pro- curement operations with handing over of only surplus rice directly from the mills to FCI in these States. Only in Haryana and Punjab, FCI has been directly setting up purchase centres in Mandis allotted by the State Government to them, however, in view of the recommendations of the High Level Committee (HLC) headed by Shri Shanta Kumar, FCI has decided to withdraw from direct pro- curement operations in Haryana from ensuing Rabi Marketing Season (RMS). On the request of Punjab Government, FCI has decided to withdraw from direct procurement of food- grains in Punjab only from next year

 (c) & (d) Yes, Madam. Marketable surplus of foodgrains is available for sale in all the above said States. In the ongoing Kharif Marketing Season 2014-15, in Punjab and Haryana, the procurement centres for pur- chase of paddy were opened by both SGAs and FCI and in other States only by the SGAs. For ensuing RMS 2015-16, both SGAs and FCI have planned to open procurement centres for purchase of wheat in the en- suing RMS in Punjab and in other States only SGAs have planned to open the requi- red number of procurement centres. State- wise number of procurement centres opened/ proposed to be opened during the ongoing KMS 2014-15 and ensuing RMS 2015-16 are at Table I & II.