FCI will continue to procure foodgrain from states: Paswan

Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan today said central procurement agency FCI will continue to purchase foodgrains from states, including Punjab and Haryana.
His comment assumes significance as it comes in the wake of the Shanta Kumar committee's recommendations that FCI should stop procurement from developed states like Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and procure from states like UP and Bihar.
"We want to tell all states including Haryana and Punjab that there should not be any misunderstanding (with regard to foodgrain procurement). Whatever system of procurement was earlier going on will stay," Paswan said while addressing the media here.
"(But) we have made it clear that whatever earlier (food grain procurement) system was going on will continue to be followed. We will buy foodgrain from states," he added.

If any state is capable of procuring crop on its own, then the Centre will "think over" the matter, he added.
"If any state government says that its infrastructure is ready for procurement and will buy on its own...If some state says that it is ready or capable then we will think over the matter," he said.

He, however, cited the example of Bihar which was buying directly from farmers had later failed.
To a query, Paswan said if Haryana government wanted FCI to buy crop, then the central agency will purchase food grain from the state.
The Haryana government has already decided that five state-owned procurement agencies would procure wheat crop for central pool from growers on behalf of FCI during ensuing Rabi Marketing season 2015-16.

It means that from the coming procurement season, central agency Food Corporation of India (FCI) will not purchase crop from Haryana. The entire wheat stock will be bought by state's procurement agencies.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said every grain of the grower would be purchased.