DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has flagged the issue of space crunch for storing foodgrain in the state as he wrote to Union Consumer Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi seeking his attention for liquidating existing stock of paddy and wheat for creating sufficient storage capacity. In a letter to Joshi on Tuesday, Mann pointed towards the "lingering issue of the serious lack of delivery space" with the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

"As you are aware, space crunch with the FCI especially since May onwards has not only hampered the delivery of rice of KMS 2023-24 (Kharif Marketing Season) by rice millers of the state to FCI in the central pool, it has also led to an apprehension amongst the rice millers about the space situation during the ensuing Kharif Season 2024-25," Mann wrote.

Further pointing out the issue of "persistent space deficit", Mann said the state government was constrained to seek extension in milling period first till July 31 and then till August 31.

"With pendency of rice pertaining to KMS 2023-24 because of space crunch, the central government has further extended the delivery period until September 30, 2024," he said.

Mann wrote that the state government has been taking up the issue of space shortage with the Centre and in this regard, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister had personally called on him to seek immediate redressal on this front by mobilization of additional rakes of wheat and paddy.

He said letters were written in June and August by the principal secretary in this regard.

Mann said while the state government is making all-out efforts to ensure all pending rice is delivered to the FCI at the earliest, the issue of space shortage with the central agency assumes greater salience with the ensuing KMS 2024-25 on the anvil, during which around 185-190 LMT (lakh metric tonne) of paddy is expected to be procured, resulting in production of 120-125 LMT of rice for the central pool.

As of now, against a total covered space of 171 LMT available in the State, nearly 121 LMT of rice and 50 LMT of wheat is lying stored in the covered godowns and there is no space available to accommodate fresh rice crop, said Mann.

The chief minister said the issue of storage space demands immediate and urgent attention and a minimum monthly movement or liquidation of 20 LMT of food grains, especially rice, is required every month from the state until March 2025, so that sufficient space is created to accommodate fresh rice of KMS 2024-25.

"I would be grateful for your personal intervention for issuing necessary directions to the FCI for making requisite arrangements of covered storage space by mobilizing at least 25 rakes of wheat and rice from covered godowns per day from Punjab from September 24 to March 25 so that sufficient space is created for delivery of rice and procurement of paddy/rice of KMS 24-25 is carried out seamlessly in the state," wrote Mann.
(editor@dailyworld.in)