Mallick writes to Thomas on status of foodgrain utilisation

Mallick has written a letter to Union Food Minister K V Thomas differing over his comments on underutilisation of foodgrains in the state.

"I beg to differ with the status report of lifting of stocks of foodgrains against the ad hoc allocation as you said during your recent visit to Kolkata," Mallick said in his letter to Thomas.

"Additional allocations of foodgrains amounting to 5,18,630 MT have been received for the ten poorest districts of the state in two phases -- one in the month of October, 2011 and another instalment in the month of May this year -- with the stipulation that the allotted quota shall be consumed by additional MAPL consumers in ten poorest districts," he said.

For the allocation received as first phase there was another stipulation that the allotted quota shall be lifted from FCI godowns, Mallick said.

"However, against first instalment of allocation we have meanwhile lifted and distributed around 50 per cent of stock," Mallick said with his assurance that the entire ad hoc allocations made for the ten poorest districts would be lifted within the valid periods.

Mallick also mentioned that the status of lifting foodgrains against the normal allocation in our state was always over 95 per cent.

During his recent visit to the city, Thomas had said the West Bengal government utilised just 12.7 per cent of the 2.6 lakh-tonne special allotment of foodgrains for 10 backward districts of the state during 2011-12.

"The total foodgrain allotment for the 10 districts was 2.6 lakh tonnes during 2011-12 and the off take was just 12.7 per cent of the quota and the window will remain open till September this year," Thomas said.