(a) whether attention of the Government has been drawn to the news item captioned `CAG finds alarming shortage of grain, F.C.I. doesn`t accept` appearing in the `Indian Express` dated February 13, 2000;
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(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the action taken and proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION ( SHRI SRIRAM CHAUHAN )
(a) : Yes, Sir.
(b) : There have been discrepancies in the figures of stocks foodgrains in central pool as maintained by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution and those maintained by Food Corporation of India (FCI). As per direction of the Cabinet Committee on Prices (CCP), the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (C&AG) carried out special audit of the stocks of foodgrains held by FCI and pointed out a ( -) variance of 4.74 lakh tonnes between the stocks of foodgrains as per book balance of FCI as on 31.3.97 and the stocks worked out by the surveyors appointed by C&AG as on that date. FCI has not accepted the variance of stocks of foodgrains as pointed out by C&AG in its audit report because of a different method, viz. volumetric method adopted by C&AG while conducting the special audit. .
(e) : The Ministry has examined the C&AG audit report and the objections of FCI on the report and has asked FCI to investigate the causes of shortages in those godowns where shortages were pointed out by C&AG.