GUWAHATI: The Centre has asked Assam government to increase its own food grains storage capacity to reduce pressure on godowns maintained by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
The state has also been asked to form the Civil Supplies Corporation by Assam for monitoring of food grains distribution through Fair Price Shops.
“The state government has to develop more godowns of Assam State Warehousing Corporation for food grain storage purposes. I have spoken to the chief minister in this regard,” MoS for Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Raosaheb Patil Danve said here today.
Addressing a press conference at the end of two-day visit to the state, he said, “I met the Assam CM yesterday and we discussed problems relating to my ministry. During the discussions with our officials during these two days, we have tried to figure solutions for these.”
“I have suggested the CM to increase their storage capacity. This will reduce pressure on the FCI’s storage. The Assam State Warehousing Corporation has to develop more godowns of its own,” Danve said.
He added that the CM has responded positively to the suggestion and has already issued instructions to the concerned officials to work on it.
Twelve godowns of the Central Warehousing Corporation are currently available in the North East and construction of godowns in government land is under consideration of the government.
The Union minister further said quarterly stock of food grains for the Public Distribution System has been adequately maintained for the state by the FCI.
He also expressed satisfaction over the FCI storage facility at Changsari, near Guwahati, that he visited earlier in the day.
Danve pointed that local procurement by FCI has been steadily increasing in the state, informing that rice procurement within the state by FCI was 52,710 MT last year and has crossed 1.60 lakh MT till May 31 for the current year.
During the review of the ministry’s activities, it was noted that Assam is yet to form the Civil Supplies Corporation.
“Assam is the only state in which food grains are lifted by Fair Price Shops (FPS) directly from FCI godown. This will be an additional burden on the system of FCI. With the formation of the State Corporation, state’s storage capacity will increase and better monitoring can be achieved under National Food Security Act,” a press note issued at the press conference stated.