Lok Sabha Question No. 2940 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-15
Subject: Proper Storage Facility
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shankar Lalwani

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2940

TO BE ANSWERED ON 15.12.2021

## PROPER STORAGE FACILITY

2940.  SHRI SHANKAR LALWANI:

(OIH)

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 prepared any scheme to ensure the availability of tomato, potato and onion across the country without the fluctuation of its prices throughout the year;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has prepared any plan for the proper storage facility for tomato, onion and potato; and
- (d) if so, the district-wise details thereof in Madhya Pradesh?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h (श्री अश्विनी क ु मार चौबे)

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)  to  (d)  :  The  Government  has  set  up  the  Price  Stabilization  Fund  (PSF)  to  tackle  price  volatility  of identified  agri-horticultural  commodities  such  as  onion,  potato  and  pulses  to  protect  the  interests  of consumers.  Buffer  stocks  of  pulses  and  onion  are  maintained  under  PSF  for  regulated  release  to  help moderate the prices. Such market interventions by Government not only helps in sending the appropriate market  signal  but  also  deter  speculative  and  hoarding  activities.  Further,  the  Government  has  issued advisory  to  States/UTs  to  set  up  the  State-level  Price  Stabilisation  Fund  (PSF)  corpus  with  central assistance, and has requested States which have set up the Fund already, to make appropriate interventions for cooling down retail prices of  essential food commodities.

In order to stabilize the retail prices of Onion, a buffer stock of 2.08 Lakh Metric Ton (LMT) Onion has  been  built  in  2021-22.  Open  market  releases  of  onion  from  the  buffer  have  been  targeted  towards States/Cities where prices are increasing over the previous month and also in source markets to augment the availability  in  these  key  mandis  and  thereby  reduce  retail  prices.  States/UTs  have  been  offered  onion  at Rs.21/kg ex-storage locations and same has been lifted by some States. As on 09.12.2021, 1.41 LMT of Onion quantity has been released from the Buffer stock.

## ORIGNAL IN HINDI

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare implements the scheme, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) under which financial assistance is provided for various horticulture activities including setting up  of cold storages for perishable horticultural  produce  through  State Governments.  Further,  the  National  Horticulture  Board  (NHB)  implements  a  scheme  namely,  Capital Investment  Subsidy  for  Construction/Expansion  Modernization  of  Cold  Storages  and  Storages  for Horticulture  Products.  Under  the  Operation  Greens  Scheme  of  Ministry  of  Food  Processing  Industries, grants-in-aid are provided for setting up of Value Chain Development Projects, including Cold Storages.

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