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Wheat worth Rs 45 crore rotten at FCI's godowns in first monsoon month
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Monday, 24 June, 2013, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Abhitash Singh, Mumbai
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fiogf49gjkf0d On the one hand, wheat worth Rs 45 crore has been rotting at the Food Corporation of India's (FCI) godowns since this year's monsoon commenced, highlighting the government's lack of preparedness to tackle the impending food crisis, characterised by escalating food prices that will obviously hit the poor the hardest.
And on the other, the ministers holding the agriculture and food portfolios are yet to discuss the Food Security Bill, which has been in Parliament for over a year. In fact, even the opposition is sitting on it. In fact, it is unlikely that the Bill would be implemented before next year's Lok Sabha election.
P Chengal Reddy, secretary general, Consortium of Indian Farming Associations, said, “Most people do not get a square meal, and there are a few who waste food. The solution to hunger lies in the proper distribution of the mountains of grains stocked in the godowns of the FCI and not in bringing technology or genetically-modified crops.”
He added, “The monsoon has just begun, and most of the foodgrain stocks are in open FCI godowns without proper storage. The government is unable to prevent them from rotting. They must be distributed adequately and equitably. The Supreme Court passed strictures on New Delhi in this regard over a year ago, but nothing has happened on the ground.”
“India has totally failed by not addressing the unpardonable sin of letting bumper crops and heaps of foodgrains stored in the godowns of the Food Corporation of India to rot,” informed Reddy.
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