Lok Sabha Question No. 3481 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-08-10
Subject: Quality Norms for Procurement of Food grain
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shiromani Ram

## GOVERNMENT OF INDTA

## MtNtsTRy  oF coNsuMER AFFAIRS,  FOOD &  puBLtC  DtsTRtBUTtoN DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRTBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 348{ TO BE ANSWERED  ()1{  {Oflr AUGUST,  2O2{

## QUALITY IIORMS FOR PROCUREMENT  OF FOOD GRAIN

## t34A1.  SHR! RAMSHIRoMANT  VERMA:

will  the Minister  of  G.NSUMER  AFFATR', FooD AND  puB..rc DtsrRIBUTtor  ccr+rar ara*, ura-t sit{ Erenff,r  Fifrur d,+ be pteased  to state:

- (a) whether the Government has given retaxation in quatity  norms for the procurement  of food grains under the centrar poo!  to save the farmers  from selling  their crops at throw away price  during the last three yearsl
- (b) if so, the detaits thereof; and
- (c) the  steps taken/being  taken by  the  Government  to  ensure remunerative  price for the food grains  of farmers  and to ensure  timery procurement  of fufiy stock of food grains  by the Government  agencies?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF RURAL DEVELOPMEilT  AND coNsuMER AFFAIRS,  FOOD &  puBLtC  DtSTRtBUTtOt{ (sADHVt  N!RA[JA]{ JYOTT}

- (a) & (b): Yes, Sir. Sometimes, due to natural calamities such as unseasonal rains, erratac rainfall,  cyclone and adverse  ctimatic conditions affecting  the quality  of foodgrains, Government atlows retaxation in the procurement  norms on the request of the concerned state Government to avoid distress  sate for the benefit of farmers. The state.wise/  Gommoditywise detairs of the retaxation aflowed  during  the rast three years  are at Annexure.l.
- (c): Gommission  of Agricurture  Gosts and  price  (GAGp) under Ministry of Agricurture and Farmey's  wetfare  is mandated to recommend the Minimum support prices  (MSps)  ror 22 agricurtura! commodities including foodgrains  at all India Levet 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- ,

t

## ANNEXURE REFERRED  To rN REpLy ro  PART (a) & (b) oF uNsraRRED QUESTIOII  NO. 34A{ DUE FOR ANSWER  ON 1O.OA.2O21 IN l]OK SABHA

Dehils on the stato.wise ,nd commodity  wise retaxation a[owed in procurement  norms during rast three years:

| Year                                                                            | Sta te                                                                          | Name of Refraction                                                              | Uniform Specifications limit                                                    | Relaxed Specifications limit                                                    |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| A. WHEAT                                                                        | A. WHEAT                                                                        | A. WHEAT                                                                        | A. WHEAT                                                                        | A. WHEAT                                                                        |
| 2018-19 No relaxatio;r has been ven in Uniform S fication of Wheat RMS 2018-r 9 | 2018-19 No relaxatio;r has been ven in Uniform S fication of Wheat RMS 2018-r 9 | 2018-19 No relaxatio;r has been ven in Uniform S fication of Wheat RMS 2018-r 9 | 2018-19 No relaxatio;r has been ven in Uniform S fication of Wheat RMS 2018-r 9 | 2018-19 No relaxatio;r has been ven in Uniform S fication of Wheat RMS 2018-r 9 |
| 2019-20                                                                         | Madh Pradesh                                                                    | Lustre loss                                                                     | With full Lustre                                                                | U 70%                                                                           |
| 2019-20                                                                         | Pun ab                                                                          | Lustre loss                                                                     | With firll lustre                                                               | U 75%                                                                           |
| 2019-20                                                                         |                                                                                 | Lustre Ioss                                                                     | With full lustre                                                                | U 90%                                                                           |
| 2019-20                                                                         | Uttar Pradesh                                                                   | l,ustre loss                                                                    | With full lustre                                                                | U 50%                                                                           |
| 2019-20                                                                         |                                                                                 | l,ustre loss                                                                    | With full lustre                                                                | U 90%                                                                           |
| 2020-21                                                                         | Madhya Pracesh                                                                  | Lustre Loss                                                                     | With full lustre                                                                | U 80%                                                                           |
| 2020-21                                                                         | Punjab                                                                          | Lustre Loss                                                                     | With full lustre                                                                | U 30%                                                                           |
| 2020-21                                                                         |                                                                                 | Shrivelled & Broken                                                             | 6.0%                                                                            | U 16 o/o                                                                        |
| 2020-21                                                                         | Haryana                                                                         | Lustre Loss                                                                     | wirh full lustre                                                                | upto 50%                                                                        |
| 2020-21                                                                         |                                                                                 | Shrivelled &                                                                    | 6.0%                                                                            | 10Yo                                                                            |
| 2020-21                                                                         |                                                                                 | Broken                                                                          |                                                                                 | Upto                                                                            |
| 2020-21                                                                         | asthan                                                                          | Lustre Loss                                                                     | With full lustre With lustre                                                    | U 50%                                                                           |
| 2020-21                                                                         | Uttar Pradesh                                                                   | Lustre Loss                                                                     | full                                                                            | U 30%                                                                           |
| 2020-21                                                                         |                                                                                 | Shrivelled & Broken                                                             | 6.0%                                                                            | Upto 12%                                                                        |
| B. PADDY                                                                        | B. PADDY                                                                        | B. PADDY                                                                        | B. PADDY                                                                        | B. PADDY                                                                        |
| 2018-19                                                                         | Bihar                                                                           | Moisture                                                                        | 17.0%                                                                           | 19.0%                                                                           |
| 2018-19                                                                         | Andhra Pradesh                                                                  | Damaged, Discoloured, Sprouted and Weevilled                                    | s.0%                                                                            | 10%                                                                             |
| 2019-20                                                                         | Andhra Pradesh                                                                  | Dannged, Discoloured, Sprouted and Weevilled                                    | 5.0%                                                                            | 10o/o                                                                           |
| 2019-20                                                                         | Uttar Pradesh                                                                   | Damaged, Discolour.ed, Sprouted and Weevilled grains.                           | 5.0%                                                                            | 9.0%                                                                            |
| 2019-20                                                                         | Tamil Nadu                                                                      | Damaged, Discoloured, Sprouted and Weevilled grains                             | 5.0%                                                                            | 7.0%                                                                            |
| 2019-20                                                                         | Bihar                                                                           | It{oisture                                                                      | 17.0o/o                                                                         | 19.0o/o                                                                         |
| 2020-21                                                                         | Tamil Nadu                                                                      | Damaged, Discoloured, Sprouted and Weevilled tns.                               | 5.0o/o                                                                          | 7.0%                                                                            |
| 2020-21                                                                         |                                                                                 | Moisture                                                                        | 17.0%                                                                           | 20.0%                                                                           |
| C. RICE                                                                         | C. RICE                                                                         | C. RICE                                                                         | C. RICE                                                                         | C. RICE                                                                         |
| 2018-19                                                                         | No relaxation has been U form S fication ofrice duri ven 1 n n1 2018-19.        | No relaxation has been U form S fication ofrice duri ven 1 n n1 2018-19.        | No relaxation has been U form S fication ofrice duri ven 1 n n1 2018-19.        | No relaxation has been U form S fication ofrice duri ven 1 n n1 2018-19.        |
| 2019-20                                                                         | Andhra Pradesh                                                                  | Damaged /Slightly Grains                                                        | 3.0%                                                                            | 4.0%                                                                            |
| 2020-2t                                                                         |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |                                                                                 |

not exceed Note:  Damaged,  sprouted and weevilled grains do 4% during relaxation in paddy.

## ANNEXURE REFERRED To rN REpLy ro PART (c) oF UNSTARRED  euEsrtoN NO.34E{ DUE FOR ANSWER  ON IN LOK SABHA

'O.OE.zO2{

steps taken by the Government to ensu.e remunerative  prrces  for foodgrains and lts timely procurement  from famers are as unden

- l.  The itlinlmum $upport  price  (rfsp) is announced  by the Goyomment  of lndia at the begrnning  of the sowing  season for crops and procures foodgralns at MSP.
2. tSP operations  are given wlde publicltyr  through  pamphleb,  banners, sign boards, radio, TV and advertisements  through print & electronlc media.
3. Farmers are made aware of the quallel specifications  and purchase syst.m etc. to facilatate the famet= to bring their produce conforming to the specifications.
4. Procurement centros are oponed taking lntri account the prcducfion, marketable  surprusr  convenience  of famers and avartabirity  of other logistics / infrastructure such a8 storage and transportation  etc. Large number of temporary purchase centres in addiflon to the existing regulated  mandis and depots/godowns  are atso estabtishod at key points  for the convonience of the farmers for timely purchase of their produces.
5. Farmers darectly get the MSp announced  by GOt and decided to do away with the tayy system  of procurement  of rice with effect from KMS 20{5. {6, allowlng the enflre procurement  of paddy to bo don€  onty by the State Agencies/FGl.
6. Palment  to farmeB is done through electronlc mode by State Agencies/Fcl.  Efforts  are being made  to make the payments  to the farmers within 48 hours of purchase.
7. FCI and State Govemments  have developed their own Online Procurement systems which ushers in transparency  and convenrence to thc farmers through proper registration  and monitoring of actuat ptocurement.
8. 8, Through  e-procuring  module deployed by procudng  Agencies, farmers get latesuupdated  infomafion regardlng MSp declared, nearest purchase centrer  date on which the farmer has to brang their produce to the purchase centr€ etc. This not only raduces the waiting pedod for delivery of stock by the farmers but arso enabtes the farmer to detiyer stock as per has convenience  to the nearest mandi,