Government is encouraging the State Government to adopt decentralised procurement system for wheat, paddy and rice.  Under Decentralized Procurement Scheme (DCP), food grains is procured and distributed by the State Governments themselves. Under this scheme, the designated DCP States procure, store and issue foodgrains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and other welfare schemes of the Government of India. The decentralized system of procurement has the objectives to ensure that Minimum Support Price(MSP) is passed on to the farmers, to enhance the efficiency of procurement and to encourage procurement in non-traditional States, thereby extending the benefits of MSP to local farmers as well as to save on transit losses and costs. This also enables procurement of foodgrains more suited to local taste for distribution under the TPDS. Food Corporation of India (FCI) will accept only the surplus foodgrains after deducting the needs of the states, from these State Governments (not millers) which require to be moved to deficit states. This information was given by the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

The Minister said that with a view to encouraging adoption of DCP system, FCI has organized workshops in non DCP/partially DCP states to highlight the advantages of DCP mode.

He said that in case of DCP states, State Governments procure foodgrains on behalf of Central Government.  The procured foodgrains are distributed by them directly under TPDS and Welfare Schemes to the extent of allocation approved by the Central Government and surplus quantity,  if any, is handed over to FCI. Any deficit is also met by FCI. Thus Government meets its commitment towards food based Welfare Scheme under DCP System.

List of DCP States

*****

NCJ/NN