RTI reveals grains worth Rs. 2,050 crore wasted in past three years
19 Jul, 2013
The reply to an application filed under the right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed that huge quantity of food grains are wasted in India in the course of transit and storage.
The reply to the application, provided by the Food Corporation of India (FCI), states that 11, 07,638. 8 metric tonnes (MT) of food grains in its godowns have been lost in past three years due to wastage or pilferage. The reply shows that the corporation has lost rice and wheat worth Rs. 2,050 crore since 2010.
The union minister of state for agriculture and food processing agreed to the data provided in the reply saying that almost 30% of food grains supplied through the public distribution system (PDS) are lost every year.
One of the main reasons for such high losses is the lack of proper storage space. For example, in Bihar the FCI has storage facility for 6 lakh MT only against the actual storage requirement of 45 lakh MT. Other problems leading to huge grain wastage are delayed procurement due to which quality of grain deteriorates and pilferage like in Punjab where after theft of grain water is poured on the sacks to make them heavier.