In view of increased  foograin movement requirement for the implementation of National Food Security Act, FCI has been making efforts to increase Inter-regional movement of foodgrains. It has been) has been rising over the years as under:-

It is estimated that  for the National Food Security Act (NFSA) implementation, against the allocation of 614.43 lakh tonnes,  the inter-state foodgrain movement requirement will be 364.33 lakh tonnes,  whereas,   total inter-regional movement during 2012-13 was 349.19 lakh tonnes. Thus, as per present estimates implementation will require higher inter-state movement.

Increase in inter-state movement is expected to help foodgrain procuring states,  as increased  movement of foodgrains  will lead to better evacuation and there by creation of more storage space in such states for fresh procurement.

An Inter-Ministerial Coordination committee was constituted on 10.01.2013 comprising of representatives of Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Railways and Food Corporation of India( FCI) to monitor movement of foodgrains. The committee meets periodically to discuss and sort out operational constraints faced in movement of foodgrains by rail. 

Discussions at the Coordination committee meetings have resulted in:

·         Increased supply of rakes by the Railways for inter-regional movement of stocks which in turn helped in ensuring availability of sufficient stocks at FCI depots for Targeted Public Distribution Scheme( TPDS)/ Other Welfare Schemes(OWS)

·         Reduction in detention of rakes

·         Reduction in demurrage charges

·         Expeditious renovation at many FCI sidings like – JJP siding, Kolkata and Talkatora siding (Lucknow), Kanpur and Mayapuri siding, Delhi

·         Expeditious settlement of pending Railway claims

Opening of new siding at Dumka and Madhupur for FCI operations

In view of increased   foograin movement requirement, FCI has been exploring alternate modes of foodgrains for some time and  so far FCI has   undertaken following sea/riverine projects:

(i)     Pilot project of movement of foodgrain conducted in Assam at the beginning of year 2013 in which 1377.86 tonnes was transported successfully through Brahmaputra Ex-Dibrugarh(Assam) to Dhemaji(Asssam) & 2999.49 tonnes was transported Ex- Dibrugarh(Assam) to   Passighat(Arunachal Pradesh).

(ii)   On 01.02.2014 FCI has awarded a contract   to  move 20000 MT per month of rice from designated depots of Andhra Pradesh to designated depots of Kerala through sea/road route.

This information was given by the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Prof. K.V. Thomas in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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NCJ/rv