Lok Sabha Question No. 201 (STARRED), answered on 2021-03-09
Subject: Norms for Procurement of Foodgrains
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Bhartruhari Mahtab

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY  OF GONSUMER  AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTTO]{ DEPARTMEiIT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTIOI{

## LOK SABHA STARRED OUESTION NO.2O1 TO BE ANSWERED  ON 9s March, 202.1

## NORMS FOR PROCUREMENT  OF FOODGRAINS

## *2O{.  SHRI BIIARTRUHARI  MAHTAB:

Will the Minister  of GOi{$UMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC

DISTRIBUTIoil  Scar!6I arri, ur<-a  gt{ gr{qfr{  fuf,tur  d* be pteased 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 yea4
- (b)  if so, the details thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (c) the details of the Schemes/Progranrmes in which such foodgrains stock is utilized so far, Scheme/  Programme-wisel
- (d)  the details of complaints of irregularities  in procurement  of such foodgrains under relaxed norms that have come to the notice of the Government during the said period, State/UT-wise; and
- (e)  the steps taken/being taken by the Government to  ensure remunerative  prices of foodgrains  to farmens and to ensure timely procurement  of entire foodgrains  stock by the Government agencies?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS,  COMMERCE  & INDUSTRY AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS,  FOOD & PUBLTC DISTR|BUT|ON (sHR! PTYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) to (e): A statement  is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO lN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE STARRED QUESTION NO.  *2O{  DUE FOR ANSWER ON O9.O3.2O2I IN THE LOK SABHA.

- (a) & (b): Yes, Sir. Uniform specifications  (Procurement  norms) of foodgrains are formulated  by the department. Food Gorporation  of lndia (FCI) and State Governments and their agencies procure the foodgrains for Gentral Pool conforming  to the UnifoJm Specifications on Minimum Support Price (MSP) from the farmers. Sometimes, due to natural calamities  such as unseasona! rains, erratic rainfall, cyclone and adverse climatic conditions thereby affecting the quality of foodgrains, Government allows relaxation  in the procurement nonns on the request of the concenred  State Government to avoid distress sale for the benefit of farmeB. The State-wise/  Gommodity-wise  details of the relaxation allowed during the last year and current year are at Annexure-1.
- (c):  Foodgrains procured under relaxed specifications are  not earmarked for any specific schemes/programmes.  Moreover, paddy is not issued under Public Distribution  System (PDS). Paddy is milled and resultant rice is issued under PDS.
- (d): No such complainta have been received in this regard, so far.
- (e): Gommission of Agriculture Gosts and Price (GACP) under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmey's Welfare is mandated  to recommend the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) lor 22 agriculture commodities inctuding foodgrains at all lndia Level and Fair & Remunerative  Price for Sugarcane.

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

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO lN REPLY To PART (a) & (b) OF STARRED  QUEATION NO.20{ DUE FOR ANSWER  ON O9.O3.2O2{  IN LOK SABHA

Details on the State-wise  and commodity wase relaxatlon allowed in procurement norms during last and current f.

| Year     | State                                                                | Name of Refraction                                                   | Uniform Specifications limits                                        | Relaxed Specificatlons llmits                                        |
|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1. WHEAT | 1. WHEAT                                                             | 1. WHEAT                                                             | 1. WHEAT                                                             | 1. WHEAT                                                             |
| 2019-20  | IYladhya Pradestr                                                    | Lustre loss                                                          | With full Lustre                                                     | Upto 70%                                                             |
| 2019-20  | Punjab                                                               | Lustre loss                                                          | With full lustre                                                     | Upto 75o/o                                                           |
| 2019-20  | Haryana                                                              | Lustre loss                                                          | With full lustre                                                     | Upto 90%                                                             |
| 2019-20  | Haryana                                                              | Shrivelled & Broken                                                  | 6.Oo/o                                                               | a.oyo                                                                |
| 2019-20  | Uttar P!'adesh                                                       | Lustre loss                                                          | With full lustre                                                     | Upto 50 %                                                            |
| 2019-20  | Raiasthan                                                            | Lustre loss                                                          | With full lustre                                                     | Upto 90 %                                                            |
| 2020-21  | Madhya Pradesh                                                       | Lustre Loss                                                          | With full lustre                                                     | Upto 8O%                                                             |
| 2020-21  | Puniab                                                               | Lustre Loss                                                          | With full lustre                                                     | Upto 3O%                                                             |
| 2020-21  | Puniab                                                               | Shrivelled & Broken                                                  | 6.Oo/o                                                               | Upto 16 %                                                            |
| 2020-21  | Haryana                                                              | Lustre Loss                                                          | With full lustre                                                     | Upto 50%                                                             |
| 2020-21  | Haryana                                                              | Shrivelled & Broken                                                  | 6.O%                                                                 | Upto '10%                                                            |
| 2020-21  | Raiasthan                                                            | Lustre Loss                                                          | With full Iustre                                                     | Upto 50%                                                             |
| 2020-21  | Uttar Pradesh                                                        | Lustre Loss                                                          | With full lustre                                                     | Upto 30%                                                             |
| 2020-21  | Uttar Pradesh                                                        | Shrivelled & Broken                                                  | 6.Oo/o                                                               | Upto 12Yo                                                            |
| 2. PADDY | 2. PADDY                                                             | 2. PADDY                                                             | 2. PADDY                                                             | 2. PADDY                                                             |
| 2019-20  | Andhra Pradesh                                                       | Damaged, Dascoloured, Sprouted and Weevilled grains.                 | 5.Oyo                                                                | 1Oo/o                                                                |
| 2019-20  | Uttar Pradesh                                                        | Damaged, Dlscoloured, Sprouted and Weevilled grains.                 | 5.Oo/"                                                               | 9.OYo                                                                |
| 2019-20  | Tamil Nadu                                                           | Damaged, Dlscoloured, Sprouted and Weevilled grains                  | 5.O%                                                                 | 7.Oo/o                                                               |
| 2019-20  | Bihar                                                                | Moisture                                                             | 17.Oo/o                                                              | 19.Oo/o                                                              |
| 2020-21  | Tamil Nadu                                                           | Damaged, Discoloured, Sprouted and weevilled glains.                 | 5.Oyo                                                                | 7.O"/"                                                               |
| 2020-21  | Tamil Nadu                                                           | Moisture                                                             | 17.Oo/o                                                              | 20.Oo/o                                                              |
| 2020-21  | Tamil Nadu                                                           | lmmature, shrunken and shrivelled                                    | 3.Oy"                                                                | 5.Oyo                                                                |
| 3. RICE  | 3. RICE                                                              | 3. RICE                                                              | 3. RICE                                                              | 3. RICE                                                              |
| 2019.20  | Andhra Pradesh                                                       | Damaged /Slightly Damaged Graans                                     | 3.O"/"                                                               | 4.Oo/o                                                               |
| 2020-21  | No relaxation has been giyen in Uniform Speclflcation of Raco during | No relaxation has been giyen in Uniform Speclflcation of Raco during | No relaxation has been giyen in Uniform Speclflcation of Raco during | No relaxation has been giyen in Uniform Speclflcation of Raco during |

Note: l.  Damaged, sprouted and weevllled gralns do not exceed 47o during lelaxataon  ln paddy.

As on date O1.O3.2O2/1.

lt'rrrrr

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (e) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 2O1 DUE FOR ANSWER  ()1{  O9.O3.2O2{ IN LOK SABHA.

Steps taken by the Government  to ensure remunerative  prices for foodgrains  and its tlmely procurement  from farmerc are as unden

- {. The Minimum $upport Price (MSP) is  announced by  the Government of lndia at the beginning of the sowing aeason for crops and procures foodgrains  at MSP.
2. MSP operations  are giyen wide publicity through pamphtets, bannelB, sign boards, radio, TV and advertisements  through  print
- & electronic media.
3. Farmerc are made aware of the quality specifications purchase  system etc. to facilitate the farmens to bring produce conforming  to the specifications. and their
4. Procurement  centres are opened taking into account the production,  marketable  surplus, convenience of  farmerc and availability  of other logistics / infrastructure  such as storage and transpoltation etc. Large number of temporary purchase centres in addation to the existing regulated mandis and depotsi/godowns  are also established  at key points for the convenience of the farmerc
- for timely purchase of their produces.
5. Farmerc directly get the MSP announced by GOI and declded to do away with the levy system of procurement of rice wath effect from KMS 2015-{6, allowing the entire procurement  ot paddy to be done
- only by the State Agencies/FGl.
6. Payment to farmerc is done through electronic mode by State Agencies/Fcl.  Efforts are being made to make the payments to the farmerc within 48 hourc of purchase.
7. FCI and State Governments  have developed their own Online Procurement Systems which ushers In  transParency and conyenlence to the farmers through proper registration and monitoring of actual  procurement.
8. Through e-procuring  module deployed by procuring Agenclest farmenr get latesUupdated  informatlon  regarding MSP declared, nearest purchase centrer date on which the farmer has to bring their produce to the purchase centre etc. This not only reduces the waiting period for delivery of stock by the farmers but also enabtes the famer to deliver stock as  Per  his convenience to the
- nearest  mandi.