By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, APR 09, 2020: NGOs and Charitable Organizations are playing important role in providing cooked food to thousands of poor and needy people during this time of nationwide lockdown. To ensure  uninterrupted supply of foodgrain to these organization Government has directed FCI to provide Wheat and Rice to such organizations at the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) rates without going through the e-auction process. Hitherto only state governments and registered bulk users like Roller Flour Mills were allowed to buy stock from FCI under OMSS rates. These organizations can purchase 1 to 10 MT at a time from FCI at the predetermined reserve prices.

FCI has network of more than 2000 godowns in the country and such large network of godowns will ensure smooth supply of food grains to these organisations in this hour of crisis. It will help relief camps in their philanthropic work of feeding poor and migrant workers in the country. The details of lifting of foodgrain by such institutions would be intimated to the concerned DMs to ensure that the foodgrain are utilised for the intended purpose. Maintaining the quick pace of transportation of foodgrain stocks across the country, FCI has moved 2.2 Million tonnes from the surplus states since the beginning  of lockdown. It has already handed over about 1 Million Tonnes of foodgrain to the state state governments for free distribution under the PMGKAY scheme.

FCI has also delivered about 3.2 Million Tonnes of Foodgrains to state governments to meet the requirements under regular NFSA allocation since 24.03.2020. The stock position of foodgrains in every state/UT in the country is being closely monitored and ensured that sufficient stocks are made available at all places. As on 07.04.2020, FCI is having 54.42 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) foodgrains (30.62 MMT Rice and 23.80 MMT Wheat). While ensuring supply of adequate foodgrains for PDS and other government  schemes, FCI is ensuring that supplies in open markets are also maintained at a healthy level to avoid any price shocks. It is regularly providing rice under OMSS directly to state governments and wheat to flour Mills based on the recommendations of respective DM/DC to stabilize supply and prices. So far 1.45 LMT Wheat and 1.33 LMT rice has been allotted. Every possible effort is being made to maintain stable and regular supply of foodgrains in the country during the lockdown period.