Lok Sabha Question No. 1540 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-31
Subject: Construction of Godowns
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shri Maddila Gurumoorthy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1540 TO BE ANSWERED ON 31 ST JULY, 2024

## CONSTRUCTION OF GODOWNS

## 1540 SHRI MADDIL A GURUMOORTW

Will  the Minister of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION  wfm mia, arr  aT ITT+gf+% fiKUrI ## be pleased to state:

- (a) the reasons for not  achieving the physical and financial  targets for the construction of godowns during 2020-2021 as set by the Ministry;
- (b) the details of the measures taken/adopted by the Ministry  or Food Corporation of India (FCI) to expedite the completion  of these projects;
- (c) whether there is  any  plan  to construct mini  godowns in  difFerent areas as per  the recommendations  made by  the  Standing Committee on  Food, Consumer Affairs  and  Public Distribution;
- (d) if  so, the details thereof and if  not,  the reasons therefor;
- (e) whether the Govemment  looked into ways for FCI to utilise its own storage capacity to the ma\imum to save funds spent on renting storage space as per the recommendations  of the Committee; and
- (f) if  so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

## (SHRIMATI NIMUBEN JAYANTIBHAI BAMB}IANIYA)

(a) & (b): Department of Food & Public Distribution is implementing a Central Sector Scheme 'Storage & Godowns' for  construction of godowns with focus on augmenting capacity in the North Eastern Region (NER) alongwith few other States.

The  reasons  for  non-completion of  physical  and financial targets  for  construction of  godowns by Food Corporation of India (FCD during 2020-21 are as given below

- (i) Mainly  Covid  pandemic for  year 2020-2021 and subsequent restrictions  by  State Governments for transportation of manpower and bringing of materials to site etc,
- (ii) Difficult geographical location,
- (111) Unfavorable terrain,
- (iv) Excessive rainfall,
- (V) Delay in handing over of Land parcels to FCI by difFerent State Governments of North East

For monitoring the projects under the Central Sector Scheme, periodic meetings are conducted by Ministry with  Engineering  Officers  ofFCI Headquarters and State Governments

Additionally,  review meeting are conducted by FCI to ascertain the progress of work at these locations on monthly  basis during the Monthly Performance Review (MPR) Meeting,

Further,  Executive  Director  (ED)  (Engg),  /  General Manager  (GM)  (Engg), FCI  Headquarters also conducts review meetings  with the Zonal Offices and Regional Offices to check the progress of the work and sort out any road block  and hindrance for smooth progress of work.

(c) & (d): Food Corporation of  India  (FCI)  mainly stores food grains (wheat &  rice)  after procurement for  Public Distribution  System (PDS) and for  maintaining buffer  stock, to  ensure food security in the country.

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:-

- I Construction of Silos under Public Private Partnership(PPP) mode
- 2 Private  Entrepreneurs  Guarantee  (PEG)  Scheme
- 3 Central Sector Scheme 'Storage &  Godowns'
- 4 Hiring  of  godown from Central Warehousing  Corporation (CWC)/ State Warehousing Corporations (SWCs)/State Agencies
- 5 Private Warehousing Scheme (PWS)
6. Creation ofgodowns  under Asset Monetization

(e) &  (f): To ensure  ma\imum utilization of owned  capacities  of Governments,  State-wise Capacity  utilization is monitored in review meetings of  FCI to ensure ma\imum utilization of  FCI owned capacity,

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