Lok Sabha Question No. 5222 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-27
Subject: Relaxation in Procurement Norms of Quality of Foodgrains
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE, SANJAY SHAMRAO DHOTRE, BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5222 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27 TH  MARCH, 2018

## RELAXATION IN PROCUREMENT NORMS OF QUALITY OF FOODGRAINS

5222. SHRI RAHUL SHEWALE: SHRI SANJAY DHOTRE:

SHRI BHARTRUHARI MAHTAB:

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  the  Government  has  relaxed  the  procurement  norms  of quality  for procurement of foodgrains under central pool to provide relief to  the  farmers  and  protect  them  from  distress  sale  on  account  of unseasonal rains during the last year and the current year;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  quantum  of  foodgrains  procured under the relaxed norms along with the number of farmers benefitted from such relaxation during the said period, State/UT-wise;
- (c) the  details  of  the  schemes/  programmes  in  which  such  foodgrain stock  is utilized so far, Scheme/Programme-wise;
- (d) the  number  of  complaints  of  irregularities  in  procurement  of  such foodgrain under relaxed norms have come to the notice of the Government during the said period, State/UT-wise along with action taken thereon so far; and
- (e) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to ensure remunerative  prices  for  foodgrains  to  farmers  and  to  ensure  timely procurement of entire foodgrains stock by the Government agencies?

A N S W E R

MINISTER OF STATE FOR  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC

DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

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(a)  &  (b).  Yes  Madam.  Uniform  specifications  (Procurement  norms)  of foodgrains are formulated by the department. FCI and State Governments and their agencies procure the foodgrains for Central Pool conforming to

the  Uniform  Specifications  on  Minimum  Support  Price  (MSP)  from  the farmers. Sometimes, due to natural calamities such as unseasonal rains, erratic rainfall, cyclone and adverse climatic conditions thereby affecting the quality of foodgrains, Government allows relaxation in the procurement norms  on  the  request  of  concerned  State  Government  to  avoid  distress sale for the benefit of farmers. The State-wise/ Commodity-wise details of the  relaxation  allowed  alongwith  the  quantity  of  foodgrains  purchased under  relaxed  specifications  and  the  number  of  beneficiaries  during  the last year and current year are at Annexure-I.

- (c): Question does not arise as no relaxation in procurement norms has been allowed for wheat and rice during 2016-17 & 2017-18. Paddy is not issued under PDS. Paddy is milled and resultant rice is issued under PDS.
- (d): Since there is no procurement under relax procurement norms so far, therefore, question of irregularities does not arise.
- (e): Commission of Agriculture Costs and Price (CACP) under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer's Welfare is mandated to recommend the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the 22 agriculture commodities including foodgrains  taking  into consideration,  the  cost  of production,  overall demand-supply, domestic and international prices, crop price parity likely the  effect  of  the  price  policy  on  the  rest  the  economy  and  rational utilisation  of  land,  water  and  other  production  resources  to  provide remunerative price to the farmers for their produce.

Steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  ensure  remunerative  prices  for foodgrains and its timely procurement from farmers are at Annexure-II.

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## ANNEXURE-I

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) & (b) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5222 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 27.03.2018 IN LOK SABHA

Details  on  the  State-wise  and  commodity  wise  relaxation  allowed  in procurement norms during last and current year.

| Year       | State                                                                                   | Name of Refraction                                                                      | Uniform specifications limit                                                            | Relaxed specifications limit                                                            | Quantity procured under Relaxed Specification                                           | Number of Beneficiaries                                                                 |
|------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| i. PADDY   | i. PADDY                                                                                | i. PADDY                                                                                | i. PADDY                                                                                | i. PADDY                                                                                | i. PADDY                                                                                | i. PADDY                                                                                |
| 2016-17    | Bihar                                                                                   | Moisture content                                                                        | 17 %                                                                                    | 19%                                                                                     | Nil                                                                                     | Question does not arise                                                                 |
| 2017-18    | Odisha                                                                                  | Damaged, discoloured, sprouted & weevilled grains                                       | 5%                                                                                      | 12%                                                                                     | Nil*                                                                                    | Question does not arise *                                                               |
| 2017-18    |                                                                                         | Immature, shriveled & shrunken grains                                                   | 3%                                                                                      | 5%                                                                                      | Nil*                                                                                    | Question does not arise *                                                               |
| 2017-18    | Bihar                                                                                   | Moisture grains                                                                         | 17%                                                                                     | 19%                                                                                     | Nil                                                                                     | Question does not arise                                                                 |
| ii. RICE   | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in rice during 2016-17 & 2017-18.  | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in rice during 2016-17 & 2017-18.  | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in rice during 2016-17 & 2017-18.  | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in rice during 2016-17 & 2017-18.  | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in rice during 2016-17 & 2017-18.  | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in rice during 2016-17 & 2017-18.  |
| iii. WHEAT | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in wheat during 2016-17 & 2017-18. | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in wheat during 2016-17 & 2017-18. | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in wheat during 2016-17 & 2017-18. | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in wheat during 2016-17 & 2017-18. | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in wheat during 2016-17 & 2017-18. | No relaxation in procurements norms has been allowed in wheat during 2016-17 & 2017-18. |

* As  on 16.03.2018.

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (e)  OF  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5222 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 27.03.2018 IN LOK SABHA.

Steps taken by the Government to ensure remunerative prices for foodgrains and its timely procurement from farmers are as under:

1. The Minimum Support Price (MSP) is announced by the Government of  India  at  the  beginning  of  the  sowing  season  for  crops  and procures foodgrains at MSP.
2. MSP operations are given wide publicity through pamphlets, banners, sign boards, radio, TV and advertisements through print & electronic media.
3. Farmers are made aware of the quality specifications and purchase system etc. to facilitate the farmers to bring their produce conforming to the specifications.
4. Procurement centres are opened taking into account the production, marketable surplus, convenience of farmers and availability of other logistics  /  infrastructure  such  as  storage  and  transportation  etc. Large  number  of  temporary  purchase  centres  in  addition  to  the existing regulated mandis and depots/godowns are also established at key points for the convenience of the farmers for timely purchase of their produces.
5. Farmers directly get the MSP announced by GOI and decided to do away with the levy system of procurement of rice with effect from KMS 2015-16, allowing the entire procurement of paddy to be done only by the State Agencies/FCI.
6. Payment  to  farmers  is  done  largely  through  electronic  mode  or Account payee cheque by State Agencies/FCI other than in Punjab & Haryana where it is routed through the ARTHIYAS as per APMC Act of the State. Efforts are made to make the payments to the farmers within 48 hours of purchase.

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