E-Paper
Covid-19 effect: Grain orders from Punjab pick pace after Centre’s PDS push
BANE TO BOON: 25 special freight trains reaching the state daily for transporting foodgrains to states like Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar
At least 25 special freight trains are reaching Punjab everyday for transporting foodgrains to states like Odisha, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, etc following the Centre’s announcement to distribute extra subsidised ration under the public distribute system (PDS) to over 80 crore card holders in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown.
“Foodgrain stock in Punjab was seen as a burden till two weeks ago. But it has now become a key tool to fight the likely hunger-like situation due to the nationwide lockdown. The state had to push hard for moving out the stock before the lockdown,” said principal secretary (food and civil supplies) KAP Sinha.
HT recently highlighted as how Punjab godowns are full to the brim and the state is heading for a glut-like situation as bumper wheat crop is likely this rabi season.
“Each special carries 2,500 tonne grain. Daily, 50,000-62,500 tonne grain is being moved out of the state. This will help us improve the storage scenario,” said an officer of the state food and civil supplies department which coordinates with the Union ministry of food and public distribution system.
Another official said arranging labour and ensuring their safety amid the pandemic and working out other logistics is still a challenge. Fifteen to 20 lakh tonne will be moved out of the state by April-end, he added.
Nearly 200 lakh tonne foodgrains is stored in Punjab godowns.
The Centre last week announced that each beneficiary under the National Food Security Act will get 5 kg foodgrains (1 kg rice at ₹3 and 1 kg wheat at ₹2) for three months in advance.
“The total national grain requirement (after the Centre’s announcement) will be 240 lakh tonnes with the state likely to contribute major share to it,” said a senior officer of the state food and civil supplies department.
Officials say foodgrain stocks in the state’s godowns swelled from total 195 lakh tonne (111 lakh tonne wheat and 84 lakh tonne rice) to 198 lakh tonne on Saturday (11 lakh tonne rice and 84 lakh tonne wheat) from January to March.
They clarified that in the upcoming rabi harvest, 135 lakh tonne wheat is expected to reach mandis for lifting.
“The wheat will be stacked in open plinths but storage scenario will improve gradually. Also, Punjab started sending truckloads of wheat to Himachal Pradesh after the neighbouring state reported grain shortage,” said KAP Sinha.
SCALING PLINTH STORAGE UP PUT ON BACK-BURNER
The Punjab government’s initiative to build plinth storage of 35 lakh tonnes has been put on the back-burner owing to the lockdown. “The construction activity has been stopped. So there is no point pushing the move, as it is not feasible. Building of godowns, which was in the tendering stage, has been postponed,” said an officer.
