E-Paper
CM Mann flags space crunch for foodgrain, writes to Centre
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday sought personal intervention of the Union food and civil supplies minister for directing the Food Corporation of India to create sufficient space for delivery of rice so that procurement of paddy/rice in the kharif marketing season of 2024-25 is carried out seamlessly in the state.
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Wednesday sought personal intervention of the Union food and civil supplies minister for directing the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to create sufficient space for delivery of rice so that procurement of paddy/rice in the kharif marketing season (KMS) of 2024-25 is carried out seamlessly in the state.
In a letter to the Union food and civil supplies minister, Mann bemoaned that there is a serious space crunch with the FCI, especially since May onwards which has hampered the delivery of rice of KMS 2023-24 by rice millers of the state to the 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 CM 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 the 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 and then till August 31. 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 till September 30.
He said the state government has sought immediate redressal on this front by mobilisation of additional rakes of wheat and paddy to Punjab. According to the CM, during the 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.
The CM said the issue of storage space demands 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.
