Lok Sabha Question No. 1462 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-05-03
Subject: Relaxation in Procurement Norms
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: DEVAJIBHAI GOVINDBHAI FATEPARA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1462 TO BE ANSWERED ON 03rd MAY, 2016

## RELAXATION IN PROCUREMENT NORMS

## 1462. SHRI DEVAJIBHAI G. FATEPARA:

Will  the  Minister  of  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD  AND  PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has relaxed the procurement quality norms for  procurement  of  foodgrains  for  central  pool  to  provide  relief  to  the farmers  and  protect  them  from  distress  sale  on  account  of  unseasonal rains  during  the  last  and  the  current  year,  if  so,  the  details  thereof, State/UT-wise;
- (b) whether the Government has received complaints of irregularities in procurement of foodgrains under relaxed norms during the said period, if so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  action  taken/  being  taken  by  the Government on such complaints, so far; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to ensure remunerative prices for the foodgrains produced by the farmers?

## A N S W E R MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI RAM  VILAS PASWAN)

- (a): Yes Madam. Details of relaxations in quality norms for procurement of  Central  Pool  foodgrains  allowed  during  last  year  are  at  Annex.  During Rabi Marketing Season (RMS) 2016-17 no State Government has requested for relaxations in specifications of foodgrains for Central Pool procurement.
- (b): No  complaint  of  irregularities  in  procurement  of  foodgrains  under relaxed  norms  has  been  received  during  last  year  and  current  year. However, complaints on procurement below MSP, non opening of purchase centre,  delay  in  payment  of  MSP  etc.  The  complaints  were  investigated and found not substantiated.

- (c): Government/FCI alongwith State Governments formulate procurement plans to procure foodgrains from the farmers. In plans following steps are included:
1. Government announces Minimum Support Price(MSP) for foodgrains in each season to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers with a view to encourage higher production. Government offers procurement at MSP.
2. MSP operations are given wide publicity through pamphlets, banners, sign boards radio, TV and advertisements through print & electronic media  about  quality,  specifications,  purchase  system  etc  to  create awareness among farmers.
3. Procurement centres are opened by respective State Govt. Agencies/FCI taking into account the production, marketable surplus, convenience of farmers and availability of other logistics/infrastructure such as storage and transportation etc.
4. Payments  are  made  through  account  payee  cheque/RTGS  to  the farmers.

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## ANNEX  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  THE  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 1462 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 03.05.2016 IN THE LOK SABHA

## DETAILS OF RELAXATIONS ALLOWED IN QUALITY NORMS FOR PROCUREMENT OF CENTRAL POOL FOODGRAINS DURING THE YEAR 2015-16

## WHEAT:

|   S. No. | State             | Refractions        | Uniform Specifications (Limit %)   | Relaxation allowed (Limit %)                                                                                                                                                                          |
|----------|-------------------|--------------------|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Gujarat           | Lustre lost        | With full lustre                   | Up to 25%                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        2 | Madhya Pradesh    | Shrivelled& Broken | 6.0                                | Up to 10%                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        2 | Madhya Pradesh    | Lustre lost        | With full lustre                   | Up to 40%                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        3 | Rajasthan         | Shrivelled& Broken | 6.0                                | Up to9%                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|        3 | Rajasthan         | Lustre lost        | With full lustre                   | Up to 50%                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        4 | Haryana*          | Shrivelled& Broken | 6.0                                | Up to 10%                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        4 | Haryana*          | Lustre lost        | With full lustre                   | Upto 95% in Kaithal district, upto 90% in Mewat, Sonepat, Jind, Palwal, Faridabad & Kurkshetra districts, upto 80% in Karnal, Hissar, Fatehabad & Panipat districts and upto 50% in rest of the State |
|        5 | Uttar Pradesh     | Shrivelled& Broken | 6.0                                | Up to 10%                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        5 | Uttar Pradesh     | Lustre lost        | With full lustre                   | Up to 50%                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        6 | Punjab*           | Shrivelled& Broken | 6.0                                | Up to 10%                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        6 | Punjab*           | Lustre lost        | With full lustre                   | Up to 50%                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        7 | Chandigarh * (UT) | Shrivelled& Broken | 6.0                                | Up to 10%                                                                                                                                                                                             |
|        7 | Chandigarh * (UT) | Lustre lost        | With full lustre                   | Up to 50%                                                                                                                                                                                             |

## PADDY:

|   S. No. | State                                                                                                                                                          | Refractions                                          | Uniform Specifications (Limit %)   | Relaxation allowed                                             |
|----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari and West Godavari Districts)                                                                                                     | Damaged, Discoloured, Sprouted and Weevilled grains. | 5.0 *                              | 10% (damaged + sprouted + Weevilled grains not to exceed 5.0%) |
|        2 | Uttar Pradesh (Affected d istricts Bareilly, Sitapur, Allahabad, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Faizabad, Gonda, Varanasi, Azamgarh, Agra, Aligarh, Kanpur and Moradabad) | Damaged, Discoloured, Sprouted and Weevilled grains. | 5.0 *                              | 7% (damaged + sprouted + Weevilled grains not to exceed 5.0%)  |
|        3 | Tamil Nadu (Thiruvarur, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts)                                                                                                  | Moisture Content                                     | 17                                 | 20                                                             |
|        3 | Tamil Nadu (Thiruvarur, Thanjavur and Nagapattinam districts)                                                                                                  | Immature Shrunken and Shrivelled Grains              | 3                                  | 5                                                              |

## RICE:

|   S. No. | State                                                                                                                                                         | Refractions                     | Refractions   | Uniform Specifications (Limit %)   | Relaxation allowed   |
|----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------|------------------------------------|----------------------|
|        1 | Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari and West Godavari districs )                                                                                                    | Damaged/slightly damaged grains | Raw           | 3.0                                | 4.0                  |
|        1 | Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari and West Godavari districs )                                                                                                    | Discoloured Grains              | Raw           | 3.0                                | 5.0                  |
|        1 | Andhra Pradesh (East Godavari and West Godavari districs )                                                                                                    | Broken Grains                   | Raw           | 25.0                               | 30.0                 |
|        2 | Uttar Pradesh (Affected districts Bareilly, Sitapur, Allahabad, Lucknow, Gorakhpur, Faizabad, Gonda, Varanasi, Azamgarh, Agra, Aligarh, Kanpur and Moradabad) | Damaged/slightly damaged grains | Raw           | 3%                                 | 4%                   |

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