EMULATE INDIA’S SUCCESS IN FOOD
MANAGEMENT - SHARAD YADAV
The Minister of Consumer
Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Sharad Yadav today
exhorted the countries of Asia and the Pacific Region to study
India’s food management which is a success story. Opening a five-day
seminar of the Association of Food and Agricultural Marketing
Agencies(AFMA) in Asia and the Pacific Region, he asked the Indian
delegates to share information with the participants on India’s
experience in food procurement, movement, storage and quality
control.
Shri Yadav recalled
how India managed one of its worst droughts in recent memory which
ravaged 17 States only because of its food management expertise.
The food security system was put to use for making available foodgrains
to the people as also for creating sustainable assets. The Minister
called upon the delegates to share information on how they handle
the food security system for the benefit of their people. Shri
Yadav said India has evolved its food management system which
is second only perhaps to China. He told the audience that the
public distribution system(PDS) in India caters to over to 6 lakh
fair price shops. The system makes foodgrains affordable to all,
especially the daily wage earners and the other vulnerable sections
of the society.
Earlier in his welcome
address. the Chairman, Food Corporation of India (FCI), Shri R.M.
Premkumar, emphasized the role of various food handling agencies
in the country to strengthen the national economy.
Delegates from several
Asian and the Pacific region countries including Bangladesh, Nepal,
Sri Lanka, Indonesia, the Philippines and China are attending
the seminar.
