‘food’steps In FCI’s
TAJ
profiles, the Food Corporation of India's efficient roadmap for procuring,
storing and distribution of foodgrains across the country
The
Food Corporation of India (FCI) was formed in the year 1965, when
the memories of the Bengal famine of 1943 were still afresh. The famine
was an eye opener that provided the necessary insight on the significance
of the country's agriculture sector. In fact, it became fairly evident
that food requirements of such a large population like ours were reliant
on the predominantly monsoon-dependent agriculture. In was in this
scenario that agricultural productivity and its economic growth became
a pivotal issue on the country's agenda, with the FCI having a key
role to play. Formed with a mission of instituting the then Government's
National Food Policy, it was formulated to fulfil the following basic
objectives:
1. Provide effective price support to farmers in order to get remunerative
prices for their produce
2. Maintain buffer stocks as a measure of food security to counter
emergency situations rising out of crop failures or natural calamities
like flood, drought and earthquakes etc
3. To ensure that foodgrains reach consumers at reasonable prices,
particularly the vulnerable section of the society.
Links between increased productivity in the agricultural sector and
the overall economy is an undisputed fact. Essential factors for food
security are finaicial stability and increase in gainful employment,
not only in agriculture, but also in its allied sectors. This is where
FCI, as the implementing arm of Government of India’s Food Policy,
comes in. The Corporation is actively involved in undertaking functions
of procurement/purchase inclusive of price support operations, storage,
movement distribution and sale of food grains in an economic and efficient
manner.
FOOD PROCUREMENT
AND STORAGE
The Corporation is bound
by the policies of the Government in matters of pricing for procurement
as well as for sale. The details of the rates for purchase and sale
vis-à-vis the off-take under various schemes of India are listed
in Table 1. Apart from maintaining stocks procured by the
contd...
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