SHILLONG, July 20: Terming the task as a challenge, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) North East Frontier (NEF) region is making special efforts to ramp up its storage capacity since godown space creation in the private sector is a big challenge in the hilly states.
The FCI NEF which looks after Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram has taken steps in creating storage space through various programmes of the central government.
Talking to reporters here on Thursday, FCI NEF general manager Sudesh Kumar Yadav said that as of July 1, 2020, all the three states had only 87,000 MT storage space with FCI or Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), adding that the capacity has now increased to around 1.06 lakh MT.
He further informed that as on July 1, 2023, the storage capacity stood at 1.22 lakh MT translating to a 40% increase in capacity in the three Northeastern states despite two years of COVID slump.
“We are in the process of further building up around 88,000 MT capacities in the three states. We have created 26,500 MT capacity in Meghalaya itself and it is already in construction through a private party. The total capacity augmentation would be around 150% in a span of hardly three years if the efforts in all the three states fructify,” Yadav said.
Maintaining that the FCI intends to build the capacity further, the FCI NEF general manager said that the corporation is trying to utilise the vacant areas of FCI godowns to increase the godown capacity in those idle land areas.
According to Yadav, the FCI will also explore cold storage among other prospective facilities in the vacant areas in order to tap into unused resources.
He further added that there is an effort to create additional infrastructure in all the three states, particularly Meghalaya where farmers will benefit most out of cold storage facilities. “I think we can have an additional benefit beyond foodgrain. With the help of CWC they will also take up the cold storage facility where it is feasible,” Yadav stated.
It may be mentioned that Meghalaya has a storage capacity of 39,326 MT at present.
In the past one year, storage space of 2,500 MT at Baghmara, South Garo Hills, 5,000 MT at Byrnihat, Ri-Bhoi, and 5,000 MT at Sohryngkham, Shillong, East Khasi Hills, was augmented and additional godowns are also under construction with a capacity of 5,000 MT at Sohryngkham, Shillong, East Khasi Hills, and 2,500 MT in Tura, West Garo Hills.
Even tenders have been called under PEG Scheme for construction of godowns at Mendipathar (5,000 MT), Nongstoin (5000 MT), Khliehriat (2,500 MT), Sohra (3,340 MT) and Zikzak block (3,340 MT).
Meanwhile, FCI NEF general manager Yadav said that they have distributed additional foodgrains through Pradhan Mantri Gram Kalyan Yojana free of cost to all the beneficiaries.
He further stated that the government has again continued its special efforts to release stocks of rice and wheat under open market scheme through auction so that wheat and rice prices remain in check for the benefit of the citizens and customers.
He added that the second phase of e-auction for sale of wheat and rice started from June 28 this year.
According to him, the FCI is expecting more participation from the local empanelled buyers in the upcoming auctions. He added that the tender will be published every Friday and the auction will be conducted on the succeeding Wednesday in the weeks ahead.
With regard to the auction of wheat, Yadav said that the FCI is offering more stocks than the actual potential of the concerned private party’s lifting. According to him, they are releasing at least four times to five times the actual requirement of wheat in the open market.
“As far as rice is concerned, we have auctioned 7,500 MT and 10 MT has been lifted by private parties under open market sale scheme,” the official added.
