Lok Sabha Question No. 193 (STARRED), answered on 2023-08-02
Subject: Sale of Rice under OMSS
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Pritam Gopinath Munde, Rahul Ramesh Shewale

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.193

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 2ND AUGUST 1 2023

## SALE OF RICE UNDER OMSS

## *193. DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE: SHRI RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE:

Will  the Minister of  CONSUMER AFFAIRS9 FOOD AND  PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION w+ttFT THe,  UM  sit  ITT#TfRq fqTPr THt be  pleased to  state:

- (a) whether there is a shortage of rice in the open market and if so, the facts thereof;
- (b) whether the Union Government has decided to sell rice through eauction  under the  Open Market  Sale Scheme (OMSS) from the  buffer stock to bulk consumers in the public interest, if so, the facts thereof;
- (c) whether the  Union Government has fixed  margin of profit  of bulk consumers in this  regard, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) if not, the steps proposed to be taken by the Union Government to ensure that bulk consumers do not gain the high profit from the end users of the rice?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  COMMERCE &  INDUSTRYI CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION AND TEXTILES

(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)

- (a) to (d): A statement  is laid on the Table of the Housea

STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  THE STARRED QUESTION  NO. 193  DUE FOR ANSWER  ON 02.08.2023 IN  THE LOK SABHAu

- (a): The total  stock  of rice  available  in central  pool as on Ol .07.2023 is 253.49 Lakh MT against stocking norms of 135.40 Lakh MT which is adequate to  meet  our  domestic  requirement under  Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS),

As per third advance estirnates of Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare! in 2022-23 the production of rice in the country is 1355842 Lakh MT which is 4.69% higher than the production of rice in previous year 2021-22.

- (b): in addition to maintaining buffer stocks and for  making a provision for  meeting the requirement of the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS), the Food Corporation of India (Fei) on the instructions from the Government sells excess stocks out of Central Pool through Open Market Sale Scheme (Domestic) [OMSS (D)] in the open market, to enhance the supply of food grains during the lean season and deficit  regions, from  time to time at predetermined prices  to  reduce the carrying cost of food grains and moderate the open market prices.The Government of India has decided to offload IO LMT of rice from central pool stock  under OMSS (D) 2023 to private parties in order to moderate the market prices.
- (c) to  (d): Margin of profit  is governed by market  prices.  The Government of India is closely monitoring the domestic retail price of rice and has taken various steps from time to time to  augment domestic availability and  stabilize the prices of essential food commodities, These steps1 inter-alia, include releases of rice under OMSS(D) from the buffer to cool down price and restrictions  on exports of the commodity.

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