Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh meets Union Food Minister, Mr. Goyal
In the interest of the farmers of the state, FCI demanded to purchase 40 lakh metric tons of rice
Raipur, 05 February 2021. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel today met Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Piyush Goyal at Rail Bhawan in New Delhi. During this, the Chief Minister has demanded permission to acquire 40 lakh metric tons under the central pool in the Kharif marketing year 2020-21 in the interest of the farmers of the state. Mr. Baghel has said that paddy cultivation is a major source of livelihood for the people of Chhattisgarh. Paddy is procured at minimum support price from farmers in the state under the MoU with the Food Department, Government of India under the decentralized procurement scheme. During this, he demanded from the Central Government to purchase 40 lakh metric tonnes of rice in FCI, following the principle agreement to take the earlier 60 lakh metric tonnes of rice to the central pool on rice procurement.
Chief Minister Mr. Baghel told Union Minister Mr. Goyal that in the Kharif marketing year 2020-21, 92 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been procured from 20.53 lakh farmers on support price. Mr. Baghel has said that out of the paddy acquired under Condica 18 of the MOU, there are instructions to supply rice stock to the Food Corporation of India in addition to the requirement of PDS of the state, so in addition to the requirement of the State by the Government of India under the said provisions The rest of the surplus paddy proportionate rice of 40 lakh metric tons should be taken under the Central Pool in Food Corporation of India.
Mr. Baghel said that in the meeting of the Food Secretaries of the Government of India for the Kharif Marketing Year 2020-21, in-principle consent has been given to take 60 lakh metric tonnes of rice to the central pool for Chhattisgarh, but the Food Department of India is approved by the Food Corporation of India. In the central pool, only 24 lakh metric tonnes of rice (16 lakh metric tonnes of rice and 8 lakh metric tonnes of arva) have been allowed to be taken. He said that the central government, following its prior consent, should buy 40 lakh metric tonnes of rice in FCI. During the meeting, the Chief Minister also demanded permission to procure rice in old jute gunny bags, reimbursement of pending food subsidy by the Government of India. On this occasion, Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Siddharth Komal Pardeshi and Food Department Secretary Dr. Kamalpreet Singh were present.
