GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO 2529

ANSWERED ON 16.08.2011

ROTTEN WHEAT

2529 . Shri A.T. NANA PATIL

Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the wheat procured by the Food Corporation of India in various States is rotting due to lack of proper warehousing;

(b) if so, whether the Government has carried out any assessment of the rotten wheat in different States; (

(c) if so, the details and the outcome thereof, state-wise;

(d) whether the Union Government proposes to build coordination with the State Governments to prevent rotting of the wheat; and

(e) if so, the details of the steps taken in this regard?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) FOR CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (PROF. K.V. THOMAS)

(a), (b) & (c) No Madam. As per information received from Food Corporation of India (FCI) wheat procured through FCI is not rotting due to lack of proper warehousing, 1997 tons during 2010-11 and 182.26 tons during 2011-12 (upto 1.7.2011) of wheat has accrued as damaged/non-issuable due to various reasons. Region-wise details of wheat accrued as damaged/non-issuable during 2010-11 and 2011-12 is at Annexure.

(d)  & (e) State Governments have been requested to follow the instructions issued by Government of India regarding safe and proper storage of foodgrains including wheat in covered and CAP storage to avoid damages during storage. Recently, these instructions were reiterated vide Department’s letter dated 06.07.2011. These measures include continuous monitoring of quality of foodgrains during procurement, storage and distribution, to follow code of practices for safe storage in covered and CAP storage, to take all precautionary measures like prophylactic and curative treatment for insect pest control, regular periodic inspection of stocks to assess the quality.

Annexure

ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a), (b) and (c) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION No.2529 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 16.08.2011 IN LOK SABHA

Region-wise accrual of Non-Issuable Wheat with FCI,during the year 2010-11& 2011-12 (As on 01.07.2011)

Figures in tons

Sl.No. / Region / Wheat
2010-11 / 2011-12
(up to 01.07.2011
1 / Bihar / 112 / 0
2 / Jharkhand / 39 / 0
3 / Orissa / 18 / 0
4 / West Bengal / 23 / 0
5 / Assam / 2 / 0
6 / Delhi / 1 / 0
7 / Haryana / 28 / 0
8 / Punjab / 67 / 0
9 / Rajasthan / 21 / 0
10 / U.P. / 518 / 11
11 / Uttrakhand / 931 / 0
12 / A.P. / 0 / 0.26
13 / Kerala / 37 / 0
14 / Gujarat / 148 / 171
15 / Maharashtra / 49 / 0
16 / M.P. / 1 / 0
17 / Chhattisgarh / 2 / 0
Total / 1997 / 182.26