(a) whether adequate number of FCI centres are available in Uttar Pradesh for procurement of paddy and wheat, if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government proposes to increase the number of such FCI centres in the country including Uttar Pradesh in future; and
(c) if so, the details thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
(SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)
(a): Food Corporation of India (FCI) in association with the State Government carries out procurement of paddy and wheat in Uttar Pradesh. Private Players are also engaged for procurement of paddy in the State. The centres to be operated by various agencies are decided mutually by the State Government and various procuring agencies.
The number of paddy and wheat procurement centres operated by FCI, State Agencies and Private Players in Uttar Pradesh during the last three years is as under:
Paddy:
KMS
FCI
State Agencies
Private Player
Total
2015-16
115
2428
153
2696
2016-17
115
2335
209
2659
2017-18
144
3060
216
3420
KMS- Kharif Marketing Season
Wheat:
RMS
FCI
State Agencies
Total
2015-16
138
5025
5163
2016-17
132
4753
4885
2017-18
167
4938
5105
RMS- Rabi Marketing Season
...2/-
...2...
(b) & (c): Procurement centres are decided and opened in mutual consultation between respective State Government and Food Corporation of India (FCI), taking into account the production, marketable surplus in the catchment area, convenience of farmers and availability of other logistics / infrastructure such as storage, transportation and milling facilities etc.
Large numbers of temporary purchase centres are also established for the convenience of the farmers.
Around 40,000 procurement centres for rice and around 17,000 for wheat operation in a crop season are operated for Central Pool.
In case of Uttar Pradesh, number of paddy purchase centres operated by FCI has increased from 115 during KMS 2016-17 to 144 during KMS 2017-18. It is decided to open around 200 procurement centres for wheat by FCI during RMS 2018-19 as compared to 167 opened during RMS 2017-18.
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