CPI(M) MP Brittas urges Govt to prevent foodgrain spoilage
CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP John Brittas has written to Union minister Pralhad Joshi over the issue relating to foodgrain storage, highlighting the need to prevent spoilage and reduce dependence on the Cover and Plinth (CAP) open-air storage system used by the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
In a letter to Joshi, the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Brittas forwarded a representation by the Food Corporation of India Employees Association (CITU), which pointed out that due to constraints in covered storage capacity, substantial quantities of foodgrains continue to be stored in CAP facilities and other open storage spaces in several parts of the country.
The letter said such arrangements, particularly in regions like Kerala, prone to heavy rainfall and high humidity, expose valuable foodgrain stocks to the risk of deterioration and avoidable losses, defeating the objective of scientific grain preservation.
It added that with the southwest monsoon setting in over large parts of the country, climatic conditions have made open storage increasingly vulnerable to moisture damage and spoilage.
Brittas said successive audits and expert committees have repeatedly highlighted the need to progressively reduce reliance on CAP storage and augment modern warehousing infrastructure.
Referring to a high-level committee constituted in 2014, he said it had recommended the gradual elimination of CAP storage and transition towards scientific storage systems, including modern silos and mechanised warehouses.
He further said continued reliance on CAP storage as a long-term arrangement could entail considerable economic and operational costs, especially amid manpower shortages at depots and challenges in upkeep, fumigation and preservation of stocks stored under open conditions.
The CPI(M) leader suggested that resources allocated for construction, renovation and maintenance of CAP structures could instead be redirected towards permanent scientific storage infrastructure, including steel silos, mechanised godowns and climate-controlled facilities.
