MUMBAI (Commoditiescontrol) - Government has lowered its rice procurement target during the current kharif crop marketing season that starts from October 1.
In a meeting chaired by the Union Food Secretary, Ms Vrinda Sarup, rice procurement target has been set at 300 Lakh tonnes (LTs), the lowest target since 2010-11.
Last year i.e. 2014-15, the Govt through Food Corporation of India (FCI) purchased 320 LTs of rice as against the target of 305 LTs.
As per the official release issued by the food ministry, Punjab tops the procurement target chart. The state would contribute 82 LTs of rice, which is 27 per cent of the total target. Chhattisgarh would contribut 36 LTs of the total procurement target.
"The union food secretary, Vrinda Sarup reviewed arrangements for procurement of paddy and coarse grains in producing states, particularly in decentralized procurement states and other non-traditional states to maximize procurement of paddy, rice and coarse grains during KMS 2015-16," the statement said.
Meanwhile, the govt has asked states to immediately identify areas with maximum paddy production and to open adequate purchase centers and deploy sufficient manpower. They have also been advised to make arrangements for publicizing MSP fixed, procurement centers opened through print and audio-visual media as well as through pamphlets in local languages.
Further, the state governments have been told to prepare details of storage plan for the
ensuing KMS and have an action plan to meet the deficit in storage requirements, if required.
Regarding Packaging material, Food Secretaries were requested to place indents for purchase of jute bags in time to avoid last minute shortage of packaging material.
The States were also requested to furnish, on daily basis, the revenue district-wise
procurement details of previous day for Online Procurement Monitoring System (OPMS).
The FCI is directed to constitute joint teams with the State Governments to oversee the
conduct of procurement operations and to attend specific complaints, problems etc.
(By Commoditiescontrol Bureau; +91-22-40015533)
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