Foodgrain requirement after implementation of National Food Security Act, 61.23 mn tonnes

KOLKATA: The total requirement of foodgrains after implementation of National Food Security Act (NFSA) including Other Welfare Schemes, is estimated at 61.23 million tonnes., according to the central government.

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, Chairman of M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation had expressed his concern about the safety of wheat and rice stored in gunny bags in the states of Punjab and Haryana which may get exposed to rain, leading to infection due to high moisture content. A study of the quantitative harvest and post-harvest losses of major crops and livestock produce was carried out by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research during 2005-07, which recommended development of infrastructure for handling and storage.

All precautionary measures are taken for safe and scientific storage of produced foodgrains. The government is implementing a Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee Scheme (PEG) for construction of 204 lakh tonnes of covered storage capacity in 19 States, which includes 20 lakh tonnes in the form of silos. A capacity of 82 lakh MT has been completed under the scheme. Government is also implementing a Plan Scheme for creation of additional storage capacity of 5.40 lakh tonnes in the North Eastern States and 76,220 tonnes in other than North East Region.

Steps are also being taken to upgrade the physical infrastructure of all the godowns, 80 depots have been identified to be upgraded during the financial year 2013-14. The process of up-gradation includes replacement of outlived ACC/CGI sheets roofing with the pre-coated profile sheets, replacement of damaged bituminous road with cement concrete road, resurfacing of worn out bituminous surface of road & improvement of boundary wall etc.