The stock position of food grains in the Central Pool as on 1.12.2011 was 547.19 lakh tons comprising of 270.63 lakh tons of rice and 276.56 lakh tons of wheat. The buffer stocks norms have been maintained for rice and wheat for the entire Central Pool stocks on a quarterly basis.

The current stocks of food grains in the Central Pool are quite adequate to meet the food grain requirements of the country as per existing allocations for TPDS and Other Welfare schemes. The Government has been intensifying procurement operations and more States are encouraged to make decentralized procurement. Government has been reviewing the Minimum Support Price for food grains from time to time to encourage farmers to produce more. As a result, procurement during the last four years has recorded considerable increase from 36.24 million tons in 2006-07 to 62.34 million tons in 2010-11. Further, to augment scientific storage capacities, Government has formulated a Scheme for construction of storage go-downs through private entrepreneurs, Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and State Warehousing Corporations (SWCs). Under the scheme, capacity of about 151 lakh tons is to be created in 19 States through private entrepreneurs and CWC and SWCs. 5.4 and 14.4 lakh tons storage capacities respectively are being constructed by CWC and SWCs under the Scheme. Out of the above, a capacity of about 4 lakh tons has already been completed by CWC/SWCs.

The Government has made allocation of a quantity of 612.07 lakh tons of rice and wheat under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) and Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) during the current year, thus making substantial quantity of food grains available through the Public Distribution System at subsidized prices. This includes additional allocation of 50 lakh tons of food grains to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families at BPL prices in May 2011 and 50 lakh tons to Above Poverty Line (APL) families at APL prices in June 2011. In addition to the above, 23.67 lakh tons of food grains have been allocated at Antyodaya Anna Yojana(AAY) and BPL prices to 27 States for distribution in 174 poorest/backward districts.

This information was given by the Minister of State (independent charge) for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Prof. K.V. Thomas in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on the 20^th December 2011.

Source: Press Information Bureau Website.

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Under Annapurna Scheme food grains are provided through State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations to indigent senior citizens of 65 years of age or above who are not getting old age pension under the National Old Age Pension Scheme(NOAPS). Food grains are provided at 10 kg per person per month free of cost to the beneficiaries.

Food grains are allocated under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) to certain identified priority groups at highly subsidized prices of Rs. 3/- per kg of rice and Rs.2/- per kg of wheat under the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY). Destitutes are among those priority groups covered under AAY. Food grains are allocated to 2.34 crore AAY families in the country.

This information was given by the Minister of State (independent charge) for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Prof. K.V. Thomas in written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

Source: Press Information Bureau Website. For more visit PDS Gaya's website.

Rice procurement in the Kharif Marketing season 2011-12 (October-September) has crossed the 10 million mark. According to statistics, 10,104,088 Mts. rice has been procured by November 17, 2011 by various government agencies during the current Kharif season.

Punjab has led the States by procuring 7,604,255 Mts. followed by Haryana 1,930,703 Mts., Tamil Nadu 239,051 and Uttar Pradesh 114,903 Mts.

Source – Press Information Bureau website released under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

 

For Other PDS or Food and Public Distribution related news and updates visit PDS Gaya Website.

Rice procurement in the Kharif Marketing Season of 2011-12 (October-September) has also started in some of the states while procurement for last season is still going on in some states. In the season of 2011-12, a total of 90, 46,356 tonne of rice has been procured by the various government agencies by November 04, 2011.

So far highest procurement has been made in Punjab – 69, 56,290 tonne, followed by Haryana – 18, 09,194 tonne and Tamilnadu -1,76,486 of rice.

Rice procurement in the Kharif Marketing season 2010-11 (October-September) has crossed the mark of 341 lakh tonne. According to statistics 341,78,963 tonne rice has been procured by the various government agencies by November 04, 2011.

Andhra Pradesh has led the States by procuring 96,10,417 tonne of rice followed by Punjab – 86,34,553 tonne, Chhatisgarh – 37,40,776 tonne, Uttar Pradesh – 25,53,687 tonne, Orissa – 24,64,285 tonne and Haryana with 16,87,343 tonne of rice.

This Public Distribution related news is according to a release available on Press Information Bureau's Website.

For other PDS related news and updates visit PDS Gaya.

A delegation of Indonesian National Logistic Agency led by its Chairman,Mr Sutarto Alimoeso, called on Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Prof. K.V.Thomas here today. The delegation has come to explore possibility of import of rice from India. During the meeting, the delegation discussed latest trends in the foodgrain production and increasing requirement of various food commodities. Mr. Alimoeso said that due to shortfall of rice production in Indonesia, there is a need to import rice in his country. India, one of the major producer of rice can fulfill the requirement. The delegation also discussed edible oil requirement of India and its import to India from Indonesia.

Prof. Thomas appraised the delegation of the Public Distribution System or PDS in India and foodgrain productions and management. He said India at the moment has enough foodgrain stock and may consider request of Indonesia. Senior officials of the Ministry of Food and Food Corporation of India were also present during the meeting.

Source – News release from Press Information Bureau GOI website dated 2nd November 2011

For other PDS related news or updates visit PDS Gaya

 

The Central Government has decided to make available 19.15 lac tons of sugar (levy sugar 2.14 lac tons and non-levy sugar 17.01 lac tons) for the month of November, 2011 as given below:-

Sl. No.	Particulars	Quantity (In Lac Tons)
1	Levy Sugar quota – A	2.14
2	Non-levy sugar quota
	a. Normal quota	17
	b. Availability out of white/refined sugar processed out of imported raw sugar during the month of September, 2011	0.01
	Total non-levy quota - B	17.01
3	Total (A+B)	19.15

This quantity of 19.15 lac tons is sufficient to meet the internal demand of sugar for the month of November, 2011.

The sugar factory shall sell/deliver and dispatch the entire non-levy quantity released for the month of November, 2011 as above only within the validity period of the release order i.e. upto 30.11.2011.

Source – Press Information Bureau, GOI website.

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Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri K.V. Thomas today released Operational Report of FCI for the year 2010-11. It is first report of its kind since inception of FCI (Food Corporation of India) in 1965. The statistical information contained in this report is based on operational data of FCI.

Releasing the report, the Minister said the report is an initiative to bring more transparency in the working of FCI. He said that the report would serve as a single repository of information, which is handy at the same time comprehensive, highlighting the metro level operational data. He said efforts are being made to modernize the storage of foodgrains by adopting latest technology. Efforts are also being made to increase the storage capacity of FCI, which has been increased by 27.74 lakh tones during 2010-11.

According the report, FCI recorded an increase of 10% in the total movements of foodgrains during 2010-11 over last year. Movements to north-eastern region increased about 19%. During the year the FCI made record procurement and record allocations of foodgrains.

The Operational Report contained in eight chapters gives statistical data of stock, storage capacity, distribution & procurement.

This is according to a 21st October 2011 press released available on the website, Press Information Bureau. For other Public Distribution System Related information, visit PDS Gaya's website.