Bhartiya Khadya Nigam Karamchari Sangh stages protest opposing FCI restructuring proposal

NEW DELHI: State-run FCI's union Bhartiya Khadya Nigam Karamchari Sangh today staged a token protest against the recommendations made by the high-level panel on restructuring of the Food Corporation of India.

"We are opposing privatisation, dismantling of zonal offices, allowing construction of warehouses on FCI land among others recommendations made by the Shanta Kumar-headed panel," BKNKS President J S Duggal told PTI.

The protest was staged at the FCI headquarters here during the lunch hour "for an hour only", he said, adding that the BKNKS is planning create awareness at regional FCI branches about the panel's recommendations.

Last week, the high-level panel had submitted the report on FCI rejig to the Prime Minister. It has recommended a relook at the food law by reducing coverage of beneficiaries and raising entitlement to the poor.

For better storage and movement of foodgrains, it has suggested outsourcing to private as well as government agencies like state-owned Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and state warehousing corporations.

It has also suggested FCI to focus more on procurement of foodgrains in eastern states, relook at MSP policy and better liquidation policy among others.

The key role of FCI is to buy foodgrains to ensure minimum support price to farmers, and distribute it to the poor under the public distribution system.