Rural Development, HRD Ministries owe Rs 22,000 crore to FCI

NEW DELHI: The Ministries of Rural Development and Human Resources Development are yet to pay over Rs 22,000 crore to Food Corporation of India for supplying foodgrains for mid-day meal and employment guarantee schemes.

The outstanding amount of the two Ministries has accumulated over a period of three years for supplying foodgrains for the two ambitious programmes -- Mid Day Meal (MDM) scheme and National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme (NREGA), FCI Chairman and Managing Director Alok Sinha told PTI.

"We are yet to get over Rs 22,000 crore from the Rural Development and HRD Ministries," he said.

While FCI is paid in advance for supply of foodgrains to be distributed through the Public Distribution System and to the armed forces, contributions for the flagship schemes of the two ministries are made on credit.

"Now we have decided to supply grains to the two Ministries only against the advance payment," he said

Of the total amount, the major chunk of Rs 20,094 crore is pending with the Rural Development Ministry while the outstanding amount with HRD Ministry is Rs 2,457 crore.

"In case of Rural Development Ministry, 90 per cent is principal and 10 per cent is interest, while in case of HRD Ministry, it is the opposite," Sinha said.

The FCI's monthly disbursement of rice across India is 20 lakh tonnes and wheat 10 lakh tonnes. Out of this, 10 per cent is meant for NREGA and MDM programmes.