Grain cushion: India has enough stock to supply ration shops for 1 year

In 2018-19, around 57 mt of wheat and rice was distributed in the country through the ration shops network

As India battles the COVID-19 outbreak, it does have a cushion in the stocks of grain, pulses, oilseed and sugar.

The governments of Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Kerala, Rajasthan, Karnataka and Punjab have already decided to deliver free rations in advance to poor and vulnerable sections such as daily wagers, rickshaw pullers and the like. 

The said cushion enables more. By official estimates, the stock of foodgrain (wheat and rice) on March 10 was 58.49 million tonnes (mt), much more than required as a buffer in normal times. Also, there are stocks of around 3 mt of pulses, 1.1 mt of