Punjab to come out with foodgrain storage policy

Punjab government today said it would come out with a new grain storage policy to deal with foodgrain storage problem and wastage of foodgrains. 

The cabinet would approve the polocy at its next meeting.

Reviewing the progress of crop procurement and storage, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal asked Secretary Food and Supplies D S Grewal to frame the policy. He said silos should be constructed in the mandis itself wherever space was available. 

The average size of silos should be in the range of 25,000 to 50,000 tonne.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the construction of silos has to be taken up on a war footing so that wastage of grains in open could be checked. Punjab has been facing a shortage of over 70 lakh tonne of foodgrains. 

Union Minister of State for Food K V Thomas had last week said the Centre planned to create 2 million tonne of silos for foodgrain storage in the country.

Badal also asked Deputy Commissioners to come out with a viable policy to expedite lifting especially during heavy crop arrival. 

He said Punjab has an average lifting and labour capacity for 5 lakh tonne grain per day and the problem arises only during four-five days of peak season when the arrival exceeds 5 lakh tonne per day.

He asked the Chief Secretary to constitute a five-member committee of Deputy Commissioners which would point out bottlenecks at the grassroot level in areas of allocation of tenders for labour, transport, lifting, storage and suggest practical solutions.

Asking the Irrigation Department and Deputy Commissioners to gear up machinery to strengthen bundhs at all vulnerable points, Badal said that flood protection measures have to be completed before the onset of monsoon.

He asked the Chief Secretary to sanction Rs 101 crore immediately so that flood protection measures could be taken up at the earnest.