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Punjab government starts process to construct covered godowns to store wheat
The Centre had directed the Punjab government to phase out covered area plinths (CAP), which often led to wastage of wheat, within three years and construct covered godowns
: The Punjab government has started the process to construct covered godowns with a capacity to store 63 lakh tonnes of wheat procured from farmers following Union government’s directive to phase out open raised platforms to store the grains, which often leads to wastage of the agricultural product.
In 2020, the Centre’s ministry for food and public distribution had issued directions to the state to phase out covered area plinths (CAP), where wheat is stored in open over raised platforms and covered with tarpaulin, within three years and construct covered godowns. The grains could be stored for one to two years in CAP.
The CAP storage in the state will be phased out gradually as the state food and civil supplies department has started the process for their closure.
Among the state’s four procurement agencies, the state government so far has allotted 10.8 lakh tonnes capacity to Markfed, 17.5 lakh tonnes to Punsup, 7 lakh tonnes to state warehousing corporation and 17 lakh tonnes to Pungrain.
Out of all the districts in the state, Muktsar has got a highest proposed capacity of 4.9 lakh tonnes, followed by Bathinda (4.8 lakh tonnes) and Patiala (41,000 lakh tonnes).
In covered godowns, the maximum period for wheat storage so as to maintain grain quality as edible is three years.
Wheat being a perishable commodity is vulnerable to the vagaries of weather. In the past, huge quantity of wheat stored in the CAP storage was reported to have perished. At present, there is 67 lakh CAP storage capacity in the state and atleast 25 lakh tonnes of wheat is stored in them.
It has been two years since the state government is making efforts to offer storage space capacity to private players. However, in the absence of storage guarantee, the response is lukewarm. Earlier, a guarantee of 3 to 5 years was given to the godown owners.
So far, for 2.08 lakh tonne capacity, work orders have been issued and tenders for 14 lakh more capacity is in the process.
“The state government has assured a storage rent 85% of what the Centre is offering, rest 15% will be retained by the procurement agencies as supervision charges,” said a food department officer. As per a rough estimate, Centre offers Rs. 1.5 per quintal per month as storage rent.
