Lok Sabha Question No. 6015 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-11
Subject: Buffer Stock of Rice and Wheat
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: ABHISHEK SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 6015 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH  APRIL, 2017

## BUFFER STOCK OF RICE AND WHEAT

## 6015. SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) the  quantum  of  buffer  stock  of  rice  and  wheat  maintained  by  the Government for public distribution;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  considering  to  increase  its  quantum  of buffer stock and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the  amount  spent  by  the  Government  for  maintenance  of  its  stock during the last three years; and
- (d) the  quantum  of  rice  and  wheat  declared  rotten  from  buffer  stock during the last three years ?

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## A N S W E R (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

(a) & (b): Government of India has recently revised buffer norms of foodgrains (now  defined  as  Foodgrains  stocking  norms  for  the  Central  Pool)  w.e.f. 22.1.2015 keeping in view the requirement of foodgrains under National Food Security Act (NFSA). The foodgrain stocking norms for the Central Pool are revised as under:

(in million tons)

| As on      | Operational stocks   | Operational stocks   | Strategic Reserve*   | Strategic Reserve*   | Total   |
|------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|----------------------|---------|
|            | Rice                 | Wheat                | Rice                 | Wheat                |         |
| 1 st April | 11.58                | 4.46                 | 2.00                 | 3.00                 | 21.04   |
| 1 st July  | 11.54                | 24.58                | 2.00                 | 3.00                 | 41.12   |
| 1 st Oct   | 8.25                 | 17.52                | 2.00                 | 3.00                 | 30.77   |
| 1 st Jan   | 5.61                 | 10.80                | 2.00                 | 3.00                 | 21.41   |

* For the period November, 2016 to June, 2017, Strategic Reserve of rice and wheat  was  revised  temporarily  as  3.0  million  tons  and  2.0  million  tons respectively.

## (c): amount spent by the Government for maintenance of  its stock during the last three years are as under-

(in Rs Crores)

| Commodity   |   2013-14 |   2014-15 |   2015-16 |
|-------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| Foodgrains  |   2164.58 |    2376.6 |   2021.24 |

## (d):  The  total  quantum  of  foodgrains  accrued  as  Non-Issuable  (damaged) during the last three years  is given below:

|         | (in lakh tons)         | (in lakh tons)         | (in lakh tons)         | (in lakh tons)         | (in lakh tons)         | (in lakh tons)         | (in lakh tons)         | (in lakh tons)         | (in lakh tons)         | (in lakh tons)         |
|---------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
|         | Non-Issuable (damaged) | Non-Issuable (damaged) | Non-Issuable (damaged) | Non-Issuable (damaged) | Non-Issuable (damaged) | Non-Issuable (damaged) | Non-Issuable (damaged) | Non-Issuable (damaged) | Non-Issuable (damaged) | Non-Issuable (damaged) |
| 2013-14 | 0.25                   | 0.25                   | 0.25                   | 0.25                   | 0.25                   | 0.25                   | 0.25                   | 0.25                   | 0.25                   | 0.25                   |
| 2014-15 | 0.19                   | 0.19                   | 0.19                   | 0.19                   | 0.19                   | 0.19                   | 0.19                   | 0.19                   | 0.19                   | 0.19                   |
| 2015-16 | 0.03                   | 0.03                   | 0.03                   | 0.03                   | 0.03                   | 0.03                   | 0.03                   | 0.03                   | 0.03                   | 0.03                   |

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