NEW DELHI:
Against the backdrop of a huge demand for Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns in the Northeastern States, a Parliamentary Committee has detected a very dismal picture of such food stock centres in this landlocked region.
The Parliamentary Committee on Food, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution chaired by TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay in its 21st report has expressed concern over the fact that during the year 2020-21, FCI could not achieve physical and financial targets for construction of godowns.
“During the year 2020-21, the physical target set for construction of godowns in North-Eastern States was 30020 MT, but its achievement in this regard was nil. So far as the financial target is concerned, it was Rs 45 crore but its achievement in this respect was Rs 13.64 crore,” the committee said in its report.
The committee has similarly found that during the year 2020-21, for States other than North-East, the physical target was 6220 MT but achievement was nil. Financial target was Rs 16 crore but achievement was only Rs 3.07 crore.
The Ministry has informed the committee that the land for storage capacity of 43,340 MT (28,340 – NE and 15000- other than NE) has been identified and is likely to be handed over to FCI shortly in four different locations including three in Northeast.
The Committee desires that the Department and FCI should make sincere efforts to expedite completion of on-going godown construction projects particularly in J&K, NE States, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands.
“Existence of sufficient storage capacity in these States is a pre-requisite for the people of the States to reap the benefits of the Public Distribution System,” it said.
The Committee took note of the problems faced by FCI in construction of godowns in NE Region which are mainly due to difficult terrain, frequent bandhs, and land acquisition restrictions, law and order situation and inclement weather which affects construction work.
“The Department should take up the matter with the States and UTs at the highest level to solve the problem of storage,” it said.
In its reply the Ministry said that in the Northeastern region, there are issues like delay in handing over of suitable land by State Governments, inclement weather and problems like regular floods, landslides and accessibility issues which hinders the smooth progress of works almost in the entire North Eastern region.