Goyal assured the release of food subsidy claim amount of 4832 crore
Food and Agriculture Minister of Chhattisgarh was also present
Raipur, 26 February 2021. Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Mr. Bhupesh Baghel called on the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Mr. Piyush Goyal at Rail Bhawan, New Delhi. During this, he again drew the attention of Mr. Goyal to demand that 40 lakh metric tons of rice be acquired from Chhattisgarh in the Central Pool. At the same time, Mr. Baghel urged for the reimbursement of food subsidy claim amount of Rs 5214.97 crore, on which Shri Goyal has assured to release Rs 4832 crore on release of the budget amount. Chhattisgarh Food Minister Shri Amarjit Bhagat and Agriculture Minister Shri Ravindra Chaubey were also present with the Chief Minister during the meeting.
Mr. Baghel has said that paddy is procured from the farmers in the state under the decentralized procurement scheme under the MoU with the Food Department, Government of India. During this, he demanded from the Central Government to take 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 said 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. There is a directive to supply rice stock to the Food Corporation of India in addition to the requirement of PDS of the state out of the paddy acquired under clause 18 of the MOU, so proportionate of all surplus paddy remaining in addition to the state requirement by the Government of India under the said provisions. There is a demand for 40 lakh metric tonnes of rice to be taken under the Central Pool in Food Corporation of India. At the same time, Mr. Baghel said that as per the provision of MoU executed for the operation of decentralized food grains procurement scheme, food subsidy claim is being submitted to the Central Government after distribution of rice under various schemes. Chief Minister claimed food subsidy from the Central Government amount 5214. 97 crore has been requested to be reimbursed soon. On which Mr. Goyal has assured to release a claim amount of 4832 crores of food subsidy.
During the meeting, the Chief Minister also demanded permission to procure rice in old jute gunny bags. On this occasion Secretary to the Chief Minister Mr. Siddharth Komal Singh Pardeshi and Secretary of Food Department Dr. Kamalpreet Singh were present.
