(a) the details of the quantum of foodgrains buffer stock maintained by the Food Corporation of India, year-wise between 2014 and 2021;
(b) the details of the quantum of foodgrains from the buffer stock diverted to ethanol production, year-wise between 2014 and 2021; and
(c) whether the Government is considering to use excess stock to issue emergency ration rather than towards ethanol production, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
A N S W E R
MINISTER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY, CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION AND TEXTILES
(SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL)
(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF THE STARRED QUESTION NO.120 FOR ANSWER ON 09.02.2022 IN THE LOK SABHA.
(a): FOODGRAINS STOCKING NORMS FOR THE CENTRAL POOL (Buffer Norms) with effect from 22.01.2015 are as follows;-
Fig. In lakh MT
As on
Operational Stock Strategic Reserve Grand Total
Rice Wheat Total Rice Wheat
1st April 115.80 44.60 160.40 20.00 30.00 210.40
1st July 115.40 245.80 361.20 20.00 30.00 411.20
1st October 82.50 175.20 257.70 20.00 30.00 307.70
1st January 56.10 108.00 164.10 20.00 30.00 214.10
The total stock of Foodgrain held in Central pool as on 1st April (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021) is given below:
Fig. In lakh MT
As On Wheat Rice Total
1.04.2014 178.34 202.78 381.12
1.04.2015 172.21 170.94 343.15
1.04.2016 145.38 221.61 366.99
1.04.2017 80.59 230.81 311.40
1.04.2018 132.31 248.73 381.04
1.04.2019 169.92 293.94 463.86
1.04.2020 247.00 322.39 569.39
1.04.2021 273.04 291.18 564.22
........2/-
-2-
(b): There is no diversion of foodgrains from the buffer stock of foodgrain in the central pool. With a view to increasing production of fuel grade ethanol for blending with petrol, Government enables distilleries to produce ethanol from surplus rice available with FCI. For the period of December’2020-November’2021 i.e Ethanol Supply Year(ESY) 2020-21, 81044 MT of FCI rice was allocated to distilleries @ Rs. 20/kg ex-FCI godown for production of ethanol out of which 49233 MT was lifted by distilleries for production of ethanol. In the current ESY 2021-22, 458817 MT of FCI rice has been allocated to distilleries @ Rs. 20/kg ex-FCI godown for production of ethanol out of which 19929 MT was lifted by distilleries till 27.1.2022.
(c): The government has fully met the requirements of additional foodgrain over and above the annual allocation of foodgrains under National Food Security Act, Other Welfare Schemes and additional allocation for natural calamities, festivals etc which is about 604 Lakh Metric Tons. During Covid-19, (2020-21 and 2021-22) total additional foodgrains (i.e. Rice and Wheat) of about 759.87 LMT have been allocated, free of cost to all the beneficiaries covered under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) benefitting around 80 crore beneficiaries of all the 36 States/UTs. Under Atma Nirbhar Bharat Package (ANBP), 2020, this Department had made allocation of about 8 LMT of additional food-grain covering all the States/UTs for migrants/stranded migrants, who are neither covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA) nor State Scheme PDS Cards, free of cost for a period of two months (May & June, 2020). Government of India had also allowed the States to obtain foodgrains for all the beneficiaries to whom ration cards have been issued by the State Governments under their own scheme but who are not covered under the NFSA @ 5 kg per person per month for distribution to such beneficiaries for three months (April-June, 2020) which was later extended for the period May, 2021 to March, 22. Under this, provision 20.88 LMT of foodgrains were obtained by States/UTs from FCI at flat rates of 21/22 Rs. per kg for wheat/rice throughout the country.
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