Question : NEW FOODGRAIN POLICY

(a) whether the Government are formulating a new foodgrain policy;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government have also favoured exemption of levy of any tax on the movement of foodgrains to check increase of prices in future;

(d) if so, whether any concrete measures in this regard have been worked out;

(e) whether the Government propose to take State Governments in confidence before announcing the new policy;

(f) if so, the details thereof; and
(g) the extent to which the new foodgrain policy is likely to play a greater role in providing food to the needy and also make necessary arrangements for increase of storage capacity of foodgrains in the country?

THE MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION ( SHRI SHANTA KUMAR )

(a),(b),(c),(d),(e),(f) & (g): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a),(b),(c),(d),(e),(f) & (g) OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 196 FOR ANSWER IN THE LOK SABHA ON 01-12-2000.

(a), (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) & (g) : A High Level Committee under the Chairmanship of Prof. Abhijit Sen, Chairman, Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices has been constituted recently for formulating a long term Grain Policy. The terms of reference of the said Committee include matters relating to minimum support prices and price support operations, functioning of Public Distribution System, policy regarding buffer stocks, open market intervention & export/import, allocation of foodgrains for rural development programmes and other welfare programmes and FCI related issues, which also include the scope for reduction in the economic cost of foodgrains. Consultations with the State Governments will be held before finalising the Policy.