Lok Sabha Question No. 2550 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-02
Subject: Remunerative Prices to Farmers
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: DEVJI MANSINGRAM PATEL, SUNIL KUMAR SINGH, DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2550

TO BE ANSWERED ON 2 ND  AUGUST, 2016

## REMUNERATIVE PRICES TO FARMERS

2550.

SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL: SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SINGH: SHRIMATI DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH:

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

- (a)  the  scheme/policy  prepared  for  procurement  and  safe  storage  of foodgrains;
- (b) the steps taken to ensure remunerative price to the farmers along with the success achieved therein; and
- (c)  the  steps  taken  to  ensure  food  security  in  the  country  indicating  the names of the States where National Food Security Act is being implemented?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR  CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

- (a): There is a Uniform Policy for procurement by Government Agencies across the country. Under this policy, Wheat & Paddy offered by farmers, within the stipulated period & conforming to the specifications prescribed by  Government  of  India  (GOI)  are  purchased  at  Minimum  Support  Price (MSP)  by  the  Government  agencies  including  Food  Corporation  of  India (FCI)  for  Central  Pool.  However,  if  producer/farmer  gets  better  price  in comparison to MSP, they are free to sell their produce in open market i.e. to private trader/ anyone.

Further different commodities of coarsegrains are procured by State Governments itself  in  consultation  with  Central  Government  as  per  their requirement for distribution under TPDS as well as other welfare Schemes.

The  precautionary  measures  which  are  taken  for  safe  storage  of foodgrains to avoid damage are at Annexure-I

## (b)  The  steps  taken  to  ensure  remunerative  price  to  the  farmers  is  at Annexure-II.

Increase in procurement over a period of time reflects that GOI has been  successful  in  increasing  the  outreach  of  price  support  operations including eastern states.

(c): The  Government  enacted  the  National  Food  Security  Act  (NFSA), 2013  with  the  objective  to  provide  for  food  and  nutritional  security,  by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people. The Act provides for coverage of upto 75% of the rural population and upto 50% of the urban population for receiving subsidized foodgrains under  Targeted  Public  Distribution  System  (TPDS).    The  eligible  persons will  be  entitled  to  receive  5  Kgs  of  foodgrains  per  person  per  month  at highly  subsidised  prices  of  Rs.  3/2/1  per  Kg  for  rice/wheat/coarse  grains. The existing Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) households, which constitute the poorest of the poor, will continue to receive 35 Kgs of foodgrains per household per month.

The  Act  is  being  implemented  in  34  States/UTs,  list  of  which  is enclosed at Annexure-III.

****

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (a)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION DY. NO. 2550  DUE FOR ANSWER ON 02.08.2016 IN THE LOK SABHA

Foodgrains conforming to prescribed norms are procured for central pool and stored in scientific manner in  covered  and  CAP  (Cover  and  Plinth)  storage.  All  precautionary  measures  are  taken  for  safe  storage  of foodgrains to avoid damage. Inspite of all precautions, some quantity may get damaged/ non-issuable due to various reasons such as storage pest attack, leakages in godowns, procurement of poor quality stocks, spillage during  movement  and  handling  of  stocks,  exposure  to  rains,  floods,  negligence  on  the  part  of  concerned persons in taking precautionary measures etc.

The  following  precautionary  and  remedial  steps  are  mandated  to  be  followed  by  F.C.I.  and  State Government agencies for safe storage and quality to check damages to central pool stocks of foodgrains:

- (i)      All godowns are to be constructed as per specifications.
- (ii)      Foodgrains are to be stored by adopting proper scientific code of storage practices.
- (iii)     Adequate dunnage materials such as wooden crates, bamboo mats, polythene sheets are to be used to check migration of moisture from the floor to the foodgrains.
- (iv)     Fumigation covers, nylon ropes, nets and insecticides for control of stored grain insect pests are to be provided in all the godowns.
- (v)         Prophylactic  (spraying  of  insecticides)  and  curative  treatments  (fumigation)  are  to  be  carried  out regularly and timely in godowns for the control of stored grain insect pests.
- (vi) Effective rat control measures, both in covered godowns as well as in CAP storage are to be used.
- (vii) Foodgrains in 'Cover and Plinth' (CAP) storage are to be stored on elevated plinths and wooden crates are  to  be  used  as  dunnage  material.  Stacks  are  to be  properly  covered  with  specifically  fabricated low-density black polythene water -proof covers and tied with nylon ropes!nets.
- (viii) Regular periodic inspections of the stocks in godowns are to be undertaken by qualified and trained staff and senior officers.
- (ix)      The principle of "First in First Out" (FIFO) is to be followed to the extent possible so as to avoid longer storage of foodgrains in godowns.
- (x)         Only covered rail wagons are to be used for movement of foodgrains so as to avoid damage during transit.
- (xi) Installation of barbed wires fencing of boundary walls, provision of street lights in the godowns/ complexes and proper; locking of the sheds.
- (xii) Security staff of FCI as well as other agencies like Home Guards, DGR sponsored agency&Special Police Officers are deployed for safety of stocks.
- (xiii) Deployment of State Armed Police has been done at vulnerable depots/godowns in the prone area.
- (xiv) Security Inspection as well as surprise checks of the depots are being conducted from time to time at various levels to detect and plug any security lapses.
- (xv)       FIRs  have  also  been  lodged  with  the  Police  where  pilferage  has  come  to  notice. Apart  from this, departmental action including recovery of loss has been resorted to act as deterrent
- (xvi)    Occurrence of losses is reviewed at the level of Area Manager, General Manager (Region), Executive Director (Zones) and at Headquarter level during meeting.

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (b)  OF THE LOK SABHA  UNSTARRED  QUESTION  DY.  NO.  2550    DUE  FOR ANSWER ON 02.08.2016 IN THE LOK SABHA

## Steps taken to ensure that farmers get remunerative prices/MSP for Wheat and Paddy:-

In order to ensure that the farmers get remunerative prices/MSP for Wheat and Paddy, following mechanism have been put in place:

1. Keeping  in  view  the  procurement  potential  areas,  procurement  centres  for  MSP operations are opened by Government agencies, both FCI and State Government, after mutual consultations.
2. Farmers  are  made  aware  of  the  MSP  operations  by  way  of  advertisements  like displaying banners, pamphlets, announcement for MSP and specification in print and electronic media.
3. Payment for the wheat and paddy procured from farmers is either made directly to the farmers or through arthias/co-operative societies as per prevailing system of the State. Payment to farmers are also made through A/c payee cheque/electronic mode.
4. State Governments are encouraged to undertake decentralized procurement, so as to enhance the procurement of food grains.
5. MSP has been enhanced from time to time to encourage procurement of foodgrains in central pool.

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## Annexure-III

## ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF THE LOK SABHA  UNSTARRED  QUESTION  DY.  NO.  2550    DUE  FOR ANSWER ON 02.08.2016 IN THE LOK SABHA

## LIST OF STATES/UTs IMPLEMENTING NFSA

|   Sl.No. | Name of the State/UT   |
|----------|------------------------|
|        1 | Haryana                |
|        2 | Rajasthan              |
|        3 | Delhi                  |
|        4 | Himachal Pradesh       |
|        5 | Punjab                 |
|        6 | Karnataka              |
|        7 | Chhattisgarh           |
|        8 | Maharashtra            |
|        9 | Chandigarh             |
|       10 | Madhya Pradesh         |
|       11 | Bihar                  |
|       12 | West Bengal            |
|       13 | Lakshadweep            |
|       14 | Tripura                |
|       15 | Puducherry             |
|       16 | Uttarakhand            |
|       17 | Jharkhand              |
|       18 | Telangana              |
|       19 | Daman &Diu             |
|       20 | Odisha                 |
|       21 | Assam                  |
|       22 | Goa                    |
|       23 | Andhra Pradesh         |
|       24 | Sikkim                 |
|       25 | Uttar Pradesh          |
|       26 | Meghalaya              |
|       27 | Jammu &Kashmir         |
|       28 | Andaman &Nicobar       |
|       29 | Mizoram                |
|       30 | Dadra &Nagar Haveli    |
|       31 | Gujarat                |
|       32 | Arunachal Pradesh      |
|       33 | Manipur                |
|       34 | Nagaland               |