SHRI YADAV REVIEWS FOODGRAINS MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS OF FCI

---

Shri Sharad Yadav, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution took a review to assess the foodgrains stocking and movement operations of Food Corporation of India at a meeting of senior level officials of the Corporation from all over the country held here today. This meeting was held mainly to take stock of the position of foodgrains management in context of the proposed all party meeting by the Prime Minister, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee scheduled for July 25, 2003.

Addressing the Senior Regional Managers and Zonal Managers of FCI Shri Yadav said that as food managers of the Government they were required to play a more pro-active role in solving the problems of the farmers and the common man. The Corporation should dispose of the old and damaged foodgrains stock as early as possible; he urged. It is estimated that 1.24 lakh tonnes of foodgrains had to be disposed of as damaged stock out of a total stock of 40 million tonnes. The Minister also pointed out that the Corporation should try to dispose of around 8000 cases pending in courts relating to FCI personnel as early as possible.

The Minister also pointed out that the movement of foodgrains to various parts of the country should be undertaken after proper advance plan. Such movement should be need based and to those areas where they are consumed. FCI officers should interact with the State Governments for improving the functioning of public distribution system, he added. From September, 2002 to June, 2003 more than 50 lakh tonnes of foodgrains were sent to 17 drought affected States by FCI in addition to moving foodgrains ment for PDS and other welfare schemes.