Chandigarh, September 18: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday sought the personal intervention of Union Food and Civil Supplies Minister for directing the FCI to create sufficient space for delivery of rice, so that procurement of paddy/rice of KMS 24-25 is carried out seamlessly in the State.
In a letter to Union Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Bhagwant Singh Mann flagged the issue of serious lack of delivery space with the Food Corporation of India (FCI). The Chief Minister bemoaned that there is serious space crunch with FCI especially since May onwards which has hampered the delivery of rice of KMS 2023-24 by rice millers of the State to FCI in the Central Pool. He further said that it has also led to an apprehension amongst the rice millers of the State about the space crunch during the ensuing Kharif Season 2024-25.
The Chief Minister said that despite the best efforts of the State Government and the rice millers, so far, a total of 98.35% of all due rice could be delivered to FCI. He said that owing to the persistent space deficit, the State Government was constrained to seek extension in milling period first till July 31, 2024 and then till August 31, 2024. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that due to pendency of rice pertaining to KMS 2023-24 owing to space crunch, the Central Government has further extended the delivery period uptill September 30, 2024.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government has been regularly taking up the issue of space shortage with the Centre. He said that the state government has sought immediate redressal on this front by mobilization of additional rakes of wheat and paddy to the State of Punjab. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that while the State Government is making all-out efforts to ensure that pending rice is delivered to FCI at the carliest, the issue of space shortage with FCI assumes greater salience with the ensuing Kharif Marketing Season 2024-25.
The Chief Minister said that during upcoming season around 185-190 LMT of paddy is expected to be procured resulting in production of 120-125 LMT of rice for the Central Pool. He underscored that as of now, against a total covered space of 171 LMT available in the State, nearly 121 LMT rice and 50 LMT wheat is lying stored in the covered godowns and there is no space available to accommodate fresh rice crop. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that With rice millers expressing their apprehension over the space issue with the FCI, the farmers of the State may be impacted if timely space for ensuing Kharif is created by mobilizing additional rakes to the State of Punjab.
The Chief Minister said that the issue of storage space demands immediate an urgent attention and a minimum monthly movement/liquidation of 20 LMT of food grains, especially rice, is required every month from the State from till March 2025, so that sufficient space is created to accommodate fresh rice of KMS 2024-25. He said that in view of the above, Union Minister should personally intervene for issuing necessary directions to the FCI for making requisite arrangements of covered storage space. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that at least 25 rakes of wheat and rice must be mobilised from covered godowns per day from the State from September 24 to March 25 so that sufficient space is created for delivery of rice and procurement of paddy/rice of KMS 24-25 is carried out seamlessly in the State.
