Lok Sabha Question No. 2408 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-16
Subject: Irregularities in Procurement of Paddy
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Veena Devi, Khan Saumitra

## ORIGINAL !N HINDI

## MtNtsTRy oF GONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DTSTRIBUTTON

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIG DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.24O8

## TO BE ANSWERED  ON t6rr'r MARGH, 2022

## IRREGULARITIES  IN PROGUREMENT  OF PADDY

t24O8.  SHRIMATT VEENA DEVI:

SHRI SAUMITRA KHAN:

Will the Minister  of GONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND  pUBLtc DTSTRIBUTION  scriltl fff,+,  qrs  *< srffit E-fr$r  {'+ be pleased  to state:

- (a) the details  of the complaints received regarding irregularities/corruption  in procurement  of paddy  across the country especially in Bihar and West Bengal;
- (b) the reasons for these irregularities;  and
- (c)  the corrective  steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWE R

IiINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY  OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND GONSUilIER AFFA|RST FOOD &  pUBLtc  DISTRIBUTION (sADHVr NtRAilJAN JYOTT)

- (a): Complaints received by Food Corporation of lndia during the Kharif Marketing Season 2021-22 including Bihar and West Benga! are as unden
- (b): The main allegations are regarding irregularities in operations of procurement  centres,  purchase of paddy by millers instead of govemment, poor management of government purchase  centres, fake purchase and storage of paddy/rice stock in millers permises.

|   No. of complaints across the country (excluding the State of Bihar and West Bengal) | No. of complaints of Bihar   |   No. of complaints of West Bengal |   Total complaints |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------------|--------------------|
|                                                                                     2 | o                            |                                  1 |                  3 |

- (c): The complaints  related to paddy procurement are investigated and action taken in accordance with prescribed procedure in this regard. Further,  the following initiatives/measures  have been taken by the Government in streamlining the Procurement Operations:
- i) The Minimum Support Price (MSP) is announced by the Government of lndia at the beginning of sowing season of crops. Centrat and State Government  Agencies procure  the crops at ltisP. This enables the farmer to take informed decisions with regard to the choice of crop to be grown.
- ii) Farmers are made aware of the quality specifications and purchase system etc., to facilitate them to bring their produce conforming to the specifications.
- iii) Large number of Procurement centres are opened by respective State Government Agencies/ Food Gorporation  of India (FGl) taking into account the production, marketable surplus, convenience of farmers and availability of  other logistics/infrastructure  such as storage and transportation etc.
- iv) Government has implemented  Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) System in which payment is made directly to the farmers, bank account. This eliminates  fictitious farmers, diversaon  and duplication  of payment and has brought in responsibility,  transparency and real time monitoring.
- v) FGI and most of the state goyernments have developed  their own Online Procurement  Systems and these modules ensure that the farmers get the latesUupdated information regarding MSP declared, nearest purchase centre, date of procurement  etc. This has reduced  the waiting period  for delivery of stock by the farmers and enables  the farmer to deliver stock as per his convenience in the nearest mandi/Procurement Gentre,
- va) Government has introduced Minimum Threshold Parameters (MTPs), integrating  ait such state procurement  portats  with a central portal, towards developing an application  eco.system, wherein  requisite information regarding procurement  is available at a single source, for monitoring and strategic decision maklng and to ensure uniformity and transparency.
- vii) MTP involves online registration of farmers with Aadhar seeding, integration  of land records,  digitized mandi operations,  auto-generation of  bills etc, and these features help in eliminating middlemen  from the process of procurement  and better targeting of MSP to the farmers.

+i***