The Chhattisgarh Government would construct a godown exclusively for storing seeds for distribution to farmers at Geedam in insurgency-infested Dantewada district in Bastar region at a project cost of Rs67.47 lakhs.
The Government has set the target for completing the godown construction work with a period of seven months.
Notably, Chief Minister Raman Singh had recently announced that 22 lakh farmers will be provided free seeds worth Rs200 crore to 300 crore in the drought-hit regions of Chhattisgarh.
On the other hand, notably, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has built up storage capacity of 25,270 metric tonnes (MT) at its godowns in Chhattisgarh so far, officials stated.
The storage capacity under construction in the State is estimated to be 67,040 MT during the current financial year, officials stated.
The capacities are being built up under Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) scheme under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
Total storage capacity available with FCI for storage of foodgrains in the country as on October 31, 2015 is 366.87 lakh MT.
New storage godowns are being constructed with Plan funds in Plan Scheme and also with the help of private investors in Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.
FCI will also now put in place a ‘Quality Assurance Mechanism’ for ensuring superior quality of food grains are received at its godowns in Chhattisgarh.
It would soon seek services of a ‘Service Provider’ to be selected by it for Quality Assurance and checking of food grains during receipt, their preservation and maintenance, despatches and also issue of food grains from FCI godowns in the State, officials stated.
It may be mentioned here that the Chhattisgarh Agriculture Department has started procuring paddy from farmers through the Co-Operative Societies’ Procurement Centre from November 16, 2015.
Notably as on August 2015, Chhattisgarh was second in the country during the Kharif season among a list of 18 States with targetted procurement of 36 lakh metric tonnes of paddy crop during 2015-16.
Punjab is ranked first in the country this Kharif season among 18 states in the country with paddy procurement target of 82 lakh metric tonnes , according to the data of 18 states released by the
Centre.
In a meeting of State Food Secretaries held in New Delhi, the procurement target for Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2015-16 was finalised at a total of 300 lakh metric tonnes in the rice growing States.
States have been asked to identify immediately areas with maximum paddy production and to open adequate purchase centers and deploy sufficient manpower. They have also been advised to make arrangements for publicising MSP fixed, procurement centers opened through print and audio-visual media as well as through pamphlets in local languages, officials stated.
The Governments have also been asked to prepare details of storage plan for the ensuing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) and have an action plan to meet the deficit in storage requirements, if required, they stated.
Regarding Packaging material, Food Secretaries were requested to place indents for purchase of jute bags in time to avoid last minute shortage of packaging material.
The States were also requested to furnish, on daily basis, the revenue district-wise procurement details of previous day for Online Procurement Monitoring System (OPMS).
The FCI was directed to constitute joint teams with the State Governments to oversee the conduct of procurement operations and to attend specific complaints, problems etc, officials stated.
FCI also carries out carry out sale of damaged food grains (both wheat and rice) unfit for human consumption for use as manure, feed for animals and industrial purposes from its various depots in Chhattisgarh, official stated.
The damaged food grains not issuable for human consumption is categorised as ‘ Feed-I, II & III, Industrial use and manure.
On the other hand, the paddy husk remaining after milling of rice is also not being wasted and being used for power generation in Chhattisgarh.