Adequate Stock of Food grains & Pulses with FCI: Union Minister

Shri Ram Vilas Paswan (Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution) has informed that in spite of supplying food grains and pulses for various welfare schemes Food Corporation of India (FCI) stands at adequate stock of these commodities.

As per the Minister, there are 630.10 lakh tones of foodgrains with FCI as of May 04, 2020; out of it 276.61 lakh tones is rice and 353.49 lakh tones is wheat.  Monthly requirement under National Food Security Act (NFSA ) and other schemes is 60 lakh tones.

The Minister also provided details related to the supply of foodgrains during the lockdown. Around 69.52 lakh tonnes of foodgrains lifted and transported.

During lockdown NGOs and social institutions that are running relief camps can purchase rice and wheat from FCI depots at Open Market Sales Scheme (OMSS) rate.  Rice and wheat are sold at Rs. 22 per kg and Rs. 21 per kg respectively under OMSS.  State governments can also purchase rice and wheat directly from FCI to provide it to the needy non-NFSA families who have been issued ration cards by the State Governments, for the next three months.

Under the “Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana”, for next 3 months a total of 104.4 lakh tonnes rice and 15.6 lakh tones  wheat is required of which 59.50 lakh tones  rice and 8.14 lakh tones  wheat have been lifted by various States and UTs. Wheat has been allocated to 6 States/UTs, - Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, Delhi and Gujarat and rice has been provided to the remaining States/UTs. The Government of India is bearing 100% financial burden of approximately Rs. 46,000 crores under this scheme.

Regarding Pulses, the total requirement for the next three months is 5.82 lakh tonnes . So far, 220727 lakh tones  pulses have been dispatched while 147165 tonnes  Pulses have reached the States/UTs and 47490 tonnes has been delivered. A total of 12.54 lakh tonnes pulses (Toor-5.16 lakh tonnes, Moong-1.26 lakh tonnes, Urad-2.55 lakh tonnes, Bengal Gram-2.72 lakh tonnes and Masur-0.84 lakh tonnes) is available in the buffer stock as on 05 May 2020.