Speed Post News Network
New Delhi : The Government of India has directed Food Corporation of India (FCI) to provide foodgrains @5 Kg per person per month for 3 months at the rates of Rs 21/Kg for wheat and Rs 22/Kg for rice uniformly across the country to all beneficiaries not covered under NFSA to whom ration cards have been issued by state governments under their schemes. States have been given the option to lift these stocks in one go or on monthly basis over 3 months up to June 2020.
In order to support the NGOs/Charitable organisations involved in relief operations, the Government has given directions to FCI to provide wheat @Rs 21/Kg and Rice @22/Kg uniformly across the country to all such organisations without any upper limit on quantity. These directions are expected to have a salutary effect on the foodgrains supply position in the country by ensuring that every section of the society is provided access to adequate foodgrains at reasonable prices during the Covid 19 pandemic.
As part of the mammoth exercise being undertaken by FCI to move foodgrains stocks across the country to feed the largest Food Security system in the world covering more than 81 crore people through 5.3 lakh Fair Price Shops (FPS), a new milestone was created on April 9, 2020, when the agency transported 77 rakes carrying about 2.16 lakh MT. With this, the total foodgrains stocks transported by FCI since lock down is nearing 2.5 Million Metric Tonnes, according to a PIB release.
Along with undertaking transportation of stocks at unprecedented levels post-lockdown, FCI is carrying out procurement of rice in states like Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Odisha, Chhattisgarh etc. It is also gearing up to start acceptance of wheat of winter crop in major procuring states like Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, UP, Rajasthan etc. as per the procurement plans being worked out by the respective state governments according to the safety protocols of social distancing.