Centre Asks Bihar to Complete Construction of Wheat & Rice Silo in Buxar by December

Sudhanshu Pandey, Secretary Department of Food and Public Distribution gave the order to finish building the wheat and rice silo in Buxar by December 2022 so that it may be used efficiently during his visit to the Bhojpur and Buxar Districts of Bihar on Wednesday.

He examined the lifting and distribution of food grains under the National Food Security Act and PMGKAY's progress, as well as the preparedness of the paddy purchase for the forthcoming KMS 2022–23.

In Panchayat Kayam Nagar, Ward No. 45 of Koilwar Block in Bhojpur District and Brahmapur Block Nizam Panchayat in Dumrao Subdivision of Buxar District, Pandey examined one PDS shop each. Additionally, he talked with the beneficiaries and asked them about the quantity and quality of the goods they received from PDS shops.

Along with the Buxar District Magistrate, he also went through the district's public distribution system. The Union Secretary expressed appreciation for the State's significant efforts in the last two years in the Public Distribution System and Procurement and expressed satisfaction with the ongoing implementation and upgrading of the technical system. He claimed that once the option of online sales and cashless payment is fully implemented, nearly all issues regarding the Public Distribution System would be resolved.

During the visit, Vinay Kumar, Secretary, Food and Consumer Affairs Department, Government of Bihar, Regional Manager, Central Warehousing Corporation, and other top officers of the state were also present.

A door-to-door campaign was started and more than 24 lakh ration cards were issued to eligible and deserving families during the difficult times of the Covid pandemic in the state, according to the Food Secretary of the Government of Bihar, who briefed the Union Secretary through a detailed presentation about the lifting and distribution under the National Food Security Act and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana. Through this initiative, 37 lakh ration cards have already been distributed. The process of removing ineligible households and issuing ration cards to eligible families has been ongoing in the state, according to the State Food Secretary. He also informed that a record distribution of 9.5 LMT of food grains is being made under the National Food Security Act and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana every month in the state.

The Union Food Secretary was informed that due to the State Government's decision to increase procurement, there had been a record amount of paddy purchased over the previous 2 Kharif seasons in the State, and the Minimum Support Price (MSP) had been speedily transferred into the accounts of farmers. Additionally, it was disclosed that the State's entire chain of procurement had been made entirely transparent and efficient, and the Public Distribution System in the State ensures the timely distribution of the purchased material.

The Food Corporation of India's general manager presented the programs being implemented in the state's food grain storage management sector. He provided in-depth details on the management of godowns, star rating, and their upgrading. Additionally, he provided information on PEG systems and their use in the state. He also informed about the state's development of a silo using the Hub and Spoke model.