The storage capacity available with FCI and State agencies is 711.16 lakh tons against the stock position of 355.60 lakh ton as on 31 January 2015

There is a sufficient storage capacity for storing central pool foodgrains. The storage capacity available with FCI and State agencies is 711.16 lakh tons against the stock position of 355.60 lakh ton as on 31 January 2015. This information was given by the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Raosaheb Patil Danve.

The Minister said that to meet additional requirement of storage in deficit areas, a capacity of 292730 tons in North-East Region (Assam, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh) including Sikkim and 76220 tons in the areas other than North-Eastern Region i.e. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Kerala and Lakshdweep (UT) has been approved under 12th Five Year Plan. A total of 49,9120 tons of storage capacity has been constructed by 31.1.2015. To further augment covered storage capacity in the country, Government has formulated Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme for construction of storage capacities through Private Entrepreneurs, Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), State Warehousing Corporations (SWCs) and State agencies. Under this scheme, a capacity of 202.22 lakh ton has been approved for construction at various locations in 20 States. Out of this, a capacity of 122.88 lakh ton in the form of conventional godowns has been completed upto 31 January 2015.

He said that it has been decided by the Government that the stocks stored temporarily in the Cover and Plinth (CAP) storage are to be liquidated first to avoid any damage. Apart from regular monitoring of proper maintenance of godown as per the specified guidelines, training programmes for FCI, CWC and State Governments officials engaged in procurement, storage and distribution of foodgrains are organized by Quality Control Cells, Indian Grain Storage Management and Research Institute (IGMRI), Hapur and Food Security Institute (FSI) Gurgaon.

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