Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : Food Corporation of India (FCI) moved 60 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) foodgrains in the month of April 2020 surpassing the highest ever single month movement of 38 LMT achieved during March 2014 by 57%.
This is more than two times the normal monthly average of about 30 LMT. The quantity includes road movement of about 1 LMT to Kashmir valley and Leh/Ladakh as well as about 0.81 LMT to north eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya. About 0.1 LMT stocks was also moved to the islands of Andaman and Lakshadweep by sea, according to a PIB release.
Amidst the constraints created by the spread of Covid-19, FCI unloaded about 58 Lakh MT foodgrains stocks in different consuming states during the month of April 2020. Bihar received maximum stocks of about 7.7 LMT followed by Karnataka with about 7 LMT. With Covid-19 situation remaining very dynamic and frequent additions to hotspots and containment zones, this has been particularly challenging as many of the unloading centres were located in such areas. However, FCI has been able to manage unloading of foodgrains stocks even in affected areas and distribution of the same to states for supply under Public Distribution System (PDS) with active cooperation of state governments.
The overall lifting of foodgrains from FCI under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) under which foodgrains are supplied free of cost @5 Kg/person to about 80 crore people at 60 LMT has reached 50% of total allotment of about 120 Lakh MT.
Meanwhile, procurement of wheat for the central pool crossed 130 Lakh MT with Punjab leading the chart with 68 LMT followed by Haryana (30 LMT) and Madhya Pradesh (25 LMT). With steady inflows of foodgrains through procurement, the overall central pool stocks position remains stable even after release of about 122 Lakh MT stocks under various schemes including NFSA and PMGKAY.