Lok Sabha Question No. 255 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-06
Subject: Raw Rice Lifting by FCI
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Pradeep Purohit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY  OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO. 255 TO BE ANSWERED ON 6TH AUGUST, 2025

## RAW RICE LIFTING  BY FCI

## *255. SHRI PRADEEP PUROHIT:

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS. FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:

- (a): the exact quantity of  parboiled and raw rice stock presently available in  Food Corporation  of India  (FC:1) godowns in  Odisha as on date;
- (b): whether the actual lifting  of rice per months has been much lower than the target by FCI;
- (c): if  so, the details thereof  and the reasons therefor  along with  the steps being taken by the Government to resolve the issue;
- (d): whether the Government is taking any immediate measures to prevent the spo'ilage of  rice lying  in FCI  godowns for  a prolonged period  and if  so, the details thereof along with the action plan to prioritise the lifting and distribution of rice that is at risk of deterioration;
- (e): whether the Government has any plans to create additional storage capacity and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f): whether the  Government is  making temporary godowns in  Odisha to  avoid recurrence of  such situations in  the future and if  so, the details thereof along wit II the timeline  for their  implementation?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION AND MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY

(SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a) to (f):

A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

8$88&

## STATEMENT REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (f)  OF  STARRED QUESTION  NO.  255 (15th POSITION)  DUE FOR ANSWER  ON 6lh August, 2025 IN  THE LOK SABHA

(a): The total quantity  of parboiled  and raw rice stock presently available in Food Corporation of India (FCI)  godowns in Odisha as on 01.07.2025 is as under:

Raw Rice - 71691 MT

Parboiled Rice - 380535 MT

(b) to (c): FCI has lifted  / dispatched 6.19 LMT  of rice as against planned 8.9 LMT  in the year 2025-26 (till  June 2025), thereby achieving 77 % of the planned lifting.  The lifting  / dispatches of foodgrains in Odisha is  comparable to  rest of  India.  Odisha produces more than 90% Boiled rice which is usually consumed in  nearby states i.e. Bihar,  West Bengal and Jharkhand where these State Governments lift  most of  their National  Food Security Act,  2013 (NFS A)  requirements from their own procured Rice under DCP mode and their lifting  from FCI keeps on varying on month to month basis, accordingly impacting the lifting/movement from Odisha. Other operational constraints like  floods, railway  restrictions due to congestion at terminals etc. impacting the overall execution of the monthly  movement plans. This is constant endeavour of  Government of  India to work for the mitigation of the operational constraints so as to ensure achievement of liftjlng of foodgrains as planned.

(d): Government of India has taken several measures to prevent the spoilage of rice lying  in FCI godowns to prevent wastage of food grains; inter-alia, including the following:

- (1) Foodgrains are stored by adopting proper scientific  code of storage practices.
2. (ii) Adequate dunnage materials such as wooden crates, bamboo mats, polythene sheets are used to check migration of moisture from the floor to the foodgrains.
- (111) Fumigation covers, nylon ropes, nets and insecticides for control of  stored grain insect pests are provided in all the godowns.
4. (iv) Prophylactic (spraying of  insecticides) and curative treatments (fumigatiotI)  are carried out regularly and timely  in godowns for the control of stored grain insect pests.
5. Effective rat control measures are taken (V)

- (Vi) Foodgrains in  Transit  Storage/'Cover  and Plinth' (CAP)  storage are  stored on elevated plinths  and wooden crates are used as dunnage material. Stacks are properly  covered with  specifically  fabricated low-density  black polythene water proof covers and tied with nylon ropes/nets.
- Regular periodic  inspections of  the  stocks/godowns are undertaken by  qualified and trained staff and all  senior officers.  The health of the foodgrains is monitored at regular intervals by a system of checks and super checks at different levels . (Vll)
- The principle of 'First  in First Out' (FIFO) is followed so as to  avoid longer storage  offoodgrains in godowns. (VIII)
- Only  covered  rail  wagons  are used for  movement  of  foodgrains  so  as to  avoid damage during transit. (ix)
- Damage Monitoring  Cells have been set up at District,  Regional and Zonal levels to regularly monitor quality of stocks and reduce damages. In case any negligence is reported suitable action is taken against  officers  / officials  found responsible. (X)
- Identify & repair all the leakage point in the roof is done periodically. (xi)
- Cleaning of drainages in the godown premises  ensured. (XII)
- Ensuring no seepage inside the godowns. (Xlll)
- Ensuring no clogging up of water in the premises. (XIV)

(e) &  (f): The requirement  of  Storage capacity  in  FCI  depends upon the level of procurement, requirement of buffer norms and Public Distribution System (PDS) operations for food grains (Rice and Wheat). FCI continuously assesses and monitors the storage  capacity and based on the requirement and storage gap assessment, storage capacities are created/hired through following schemes at a Pan India level: -

1. Construction  of  Silos under PPP mode
11. Private Entrepreneurs  Guarantee (PEG)Scheme
111. Central Sector Scheme 'Storage &Godowns'.
- IV. Hiring of  godown  from  Central  Warehousing  Corporation  (CWC)/  State Warehousing Corporations (SWCs)/State Agencies.
5. Private Warehousing Scheme (PWS) V.
6. Creation of godowns under Asset Monetization. VI .
7. Covered and Plinth (CAP) Hiring Scheme -2025 VIi .
8. Modified  PEG scheme for North East &  Hilly  states with  longer guarantee period of  15 years Vlll.

At  present  there is no proposal for making temporary godowns in Odisha state.