(a) whether in the absence of any uniform national distribution policy on foodgrains, the people are starving in many states and huge surplus of goodgrains is mounting with FCI;
(b) if so, wheter several experts have also urged the Governments to come out with a national foodgrains distribution policy; and
(c) if so, the reaction of the government in this regard?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION ( SHRI SRIRAM CHAUHAN )
(a)(b)&(c): Only about 15% to 20% of the total production of foodgrains in the country is
procured by Food Corporation of India (FCI) and State Agencies for central pool. As such the
supply of foodgrains to consumers under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) is only
supplemental in nature.
In order to address the problems emerging from the changed scenario in the food sector,
Government has decided to constitute a High Level Committee on 16 November, 2000 under the
Chairmanship of Prof. Abhijit Sen, Ex-Chairman, Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices to
recommend a Long Term Grain Policy for the country. The Terms of Reference of the Committee are
as follows:-
i) Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) and Price Support Operations.
ii) The Food Corporation of India (FCI) related issues.
iii) Functioning of the Public Distribution System (PDS).
iv) Grain Policy regarding buffer stocks, open market intervention and export/import
v) Allocation of foodgrains in Rural Development and other Welfare Programmes.
The Committee has so far not submitted its final report.