FCI corruption, arbitrary policies lead to grain rot ……..Manish Tiwari
Storing foodgrains in open fields, and not in godowns,gives officials the sanction to buy many moregunnybags, wooden crates,tarpaulin sheets and fumigating material, in the name of preserving the grain. In the past fouryears, about 6lakh tonnes of grains have been lost due to poor storage.
Hemant Gupta’s 30,000-tonne foodgrain storage godown is one of the largest in Ferozepur.In1978, the Food Corporation of India(FCI) rented it fromhim, agreeing to pay Rs 75,000 per month.
In 2004, says Gupta, theFCI vacated his godown, shifting all the grain to afield nearby.
Why? Its plain corruption, explained Gupta. Storing in the open gives officials the sanction to buy manymoregunny bags,wooden crates, tarpaulin sheets and fumigating material, all in the name of preserving the grain well. Kickbacks can be sought on all of these.
There’s hardly any accountability,he concluded.
Sandeep Gilhotra, president of the Punjab Godown Owners Association, endorsed Gupta.
FCI has always promoted open storage as it gives people an opportunity to earn more money,he alleged.
FCI has always promoted open storage as it gives people an opportunity to earn more money,he alleged.
Again in 1978, the FCI rentedColT.S. Dhillon’s 7,500-tonne capacity godown at Chabal, Amritsar for Rs15,000 a month, (at the rate of 40 paise per squarefoot). Thirty-two years later he gets just 67 paise per sq foota monthly rent of Rs 25,500though the FCIpays up to Rs 2.40-2.50 per sq foot forgodowns they have rented in recent years.
My godown is just as good as any other butIget fourtimes less rent. Why?asked Col.Dhillon.
He is right. We,too,feel thereshould be auniform policy,PunjabsFCIsenior regional managerNilkanth S. Avhad admitted.
The absenceofuniformity has evenprompted some of the ownersofold godowns some arepaid as little as 32 paise per squarefoottoconsider demolishing their godowns.
While the country reworks theFoodSecurityBill to ensure sufficient food forall, the wastage of foodgrain during storage, transit and on account of pilferage/theftstillremains amajor issue.
In the past four years,anestimated 6-lakh tonnes of foodgrains have been lost due to poor storagefacilities across India, while about 6.75 lakh tonnes waslost in transit. In Punjab alone,48,315 metric tonnes wheathavebeen declared unfit forhuman consumption by theFCIinthe past three years.
– Our godowns areasgood as othersbut we get four times less rates.T. S. DHILLON, godown owner
– Nobodys bothered. The FCI hasalwayspromoted open plinth culture.S. GILHOTRA, Punjab Godown Owners Association
– Theres no point to ablame- game. What we need is more silos…moregodowns.MANPREET SINGH BADAL, Punjab Finance Minister