Even as the Centre is redrafting the Food Security Bill to ensure availability of food for all, nearly 30 lakh tonnes of paddy — the rice from which could feed around 4 lakh people for a month — have been left to rot in Punjab, with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) refusing to lift the stock. This particular variety of paddy, PAU 201, was developed by Punjab Agricultural University, and...
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Wheat stocks, storage crunch give FCI sleepless nights by Komal Amit Gera
At a time the country is facing high food inflation, its bread basket is sitting on colossal wheat stocks. The stocks, to the tune of 12 million tonnes, lying in godowns and open spaces in Punjab are giving sleepless nights to the Food Corporation of India (FCI). About 800,000 tonnes wheat moves out of Punjab in a month. Based on these figures, the state can clear about five million tonnes wheat...
More »Manipur rice bowl dwindles by Khelen Thokchom
Manipur households may find it difficult to fill their plates with rice next year, with the ongoing economic blockade robbing farmers of essential fuel to run their tilling machines. The food and civil supplies godown now has 7,132 metric tonnes of rice while the Indian Oil Corporation in Imphal has 1,223 kilo litres of diesel. The rice will last for a month, while the diesel can keep the state running for...
More »UP seeks amendment in wheat procurement policy by Rajesh Kumar Singh
The state’s wheat purchase exercise is mid-way, but the state government officers have already started mulling over amending the current procurement policy. The wheat purchase started on April 1 and the government has purchased merely 14.84 lakh metric tonnes. The state government agencies have to purchase 39 lakh metric tonne for 2010-11. The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is to purchase 1 lakh metric tonne. Each month the state government...
More »Efforts on to mitigate food crisis in Arunachal
With the PDS carriage contractors threatening to quit service if their pending bills are not cleared by the FCI, Arunachal Pradesh is in the verge facing an acute food crisis, which is already in an alarming situation according to reports. However, efforts are on to mitigate the situation with the government, supported by its MPs, impressing upon the Center to do the needful immediately. Lok Sabha MP Takam Sanjoy, who called...
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