Question : SPOILING OF WHEAT DUE TO RAINS

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION ( SHRI SRIRAM CHAUHAN )

(a)&(b): The quantity of wheat damaged during procurement by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in the Rabi Marketing Season 2001-02 statewise, together with its value, is given below:

Region	Quantity damaged (MT)	Value (Lakh Rs.)
Punjab	268	16.35
Haryana	375	22.87
Rajasthan	199.58	12.47

(c)&(d): Sufficient storage capacity is made available by the FCI for storage of stocks procured. The storage capacity (covered and CAP (cover and plinth) ), available with the FCI as on 1st July, 2001, stocks held and its percentage utilization is given below: -

Covered	CAP	Total
Capacity	267.18	83.38	350.56
Stocks	260.82	74.54	335.36
Utilization	98%	89.0 %	96%

Besides, FCI is also creating additional storage capacity of its own at strategic locations. The Central Warehousing Corporation and the State Warehousing Corporations have also been asked to construct godowns on seven years guarantee basis. Further, the field offices of the FCI have also been delegated with full powers to hire godowns as and when considered necessary.

The Government have also taken the following steps to augment the storage capacity and modernize handling, storage and transportation of foodgrains:


(i) The national policy announced by the Government envisages harnessing the efforts and resources of public and private sectors, both domestic and foreign, to build and operate infrastructure for bulk handling, storage and transportation of foodgrains.

(ii) The policy also envisages creation and operation of conventional storage godowns by private sector for storage of foodgrains of the FCI on Build-Own-Operate (BOO) basis.