Lok Sabha Question No. 37 (STARRED), answered on 2017-07-18
Subject: Damage to Foodgrains
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: RAMDAS CHANDRABHANJI TADAS

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 37 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18 TH  JULY, 2017

## DAMAGE TO FOODGRAINS

*37. SHRI RAMDAS C. TADAS:

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

(a)    whether instances of damage to foodgrains during transportation from one State to another through road and by rail have risen over the years;

(b)      if  so,  the  details  thereof  during  the  last  three  years  along  with  the reasons therefor;

(c)      the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  check  the  increasing  trend  of damage to foodgrains during transportation; and

(d)     the success achieved so far as a result of these steps?

A N S W E R MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAMVILAS PASWAN)

(a) to (d): A statement is laid on the table of the House ****

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  THE STARRED QUESTION NO. 37 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 18 TH  JULY, 2017 IN THE LOK SABHA

(a)&(b): Food  Corporation  of  India  (FCI)  transports  foodgrains  from surplus States to deficient States. A meager quantity of foodgrain may get damaged/non-issuable due to wagon roof leakages, spillages contaminated in un-cleaned wagons/trucks etc. The details of the damaged foodgrains in transportation during last three years in FCI are as under:

(Quantity in Lakh tons)

| Year    |   Quantity of foodgrains moved by Rail/Road |   Quantity of damaged/non- issuable in Transit %age in Transit |   of Accrual of damaged/non- issuable foodgrains |
|---------|---------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| 2014-15 |                                      467.14 |                                                          0.005 |                                           0.001  |
| 2015-16 |                                      384.49 |                                                          0.004 |                                           0.001  |
| 2016-17 |                                      409.98 |                                                          0.002 |                                           0.0005 |

Above table indicates that the trend of damage  to foodgrains in transportation during last three years is decreasing not increasing.

(c): Government has taken following steps to avoid damaged/non-issuable foodgrains during transportation:

1. After the placement of rake each wagon is inspected for fitness on certain para meters i.e. no damage in wagon floor, roof and walls, no dust is accumulated on floor of wagon and wagon doors are properly closing. In case, if any wagon is found unfit on above said parameters then it is declared unfit for loading and rejected .
2. Each wagon is properly cleaned for removal of any accumulated dust like cement, fertilizer or coal which may damage foodgrains.
3. Dunnage materials like LDPE sheets, bamboo mats, tarpaulin etc. are laid on wagon floor before loading of foodgrain bags.
4. Wagons  doors  are  double  sealed  by  Railway  and  FCI  to  avoid  any outside impact on the foodgrain bags.
5. Tarpaulins sheet spread on platform at the time of loading/unloading of stocks from the wagons to avoid contamination of spillages.
6. Only covered Rail wagons are used for movement of foodgrains.
7. The principle  of  'First  in  First  out'  (FIFO)  is  followed  to  the  extent possible so as to avoid longer storage of foodgrains in godowns.
8. (d) In  lieu  of  taking  above  steps  by  the  Government  damaged/nonissuable  foodgrains  during  transportation  has  come  down  from  516  tons during 2014-15 to 186 tons during 2016-17.

******