FCI has 1923 warehouses with capacity of 371.93 LMT for storage of Central Pool foodgrains

As on 01.07.2023, Food Corporation of India has a network of 1923 of warehouses (Owned/Hired) with a capacity of 371.93 LMT for storage of Central Pool foodgrains. Statement showing State-wise covered storage capacity is given below.

(b) to (d):      The requirement of Storage capacity in Food Corporation of India (FCI) depends upon the level of procurement, requirement of buffer norms and Public Distribution System (PDS) operations for Rice and Wheat mainly.  Storage gap is assessed in the procuring States based on the highest stock levels in the last three years and in the consuming States on the basis of 4 months (6 months in case of North Eastern states and in some other states like J&K, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep) requirement under National Food Security Act (NFSA) and Other Welfare Scheme (OWS). FCI continuously assesses and monitors the storage capacity and based on the storage gap assessment, storage capacities are created/hired through following schemes:

1. Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme

2. Central Sector Scheme (CSS).

3. Construction of SILO’s under PPP mode

4. Hiring of godown from Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC)/ State Warehousing Corporation (SWCs)/ State Agencies

5. Hiring of godown through Private Warehousing Scheme (PWS)

As far as timelines are concerned:

On PEG Scheme, investor gets one year for the completion construction of godown from issue of letter of memorandum (LoM). Government has fixed the timeline as March 2025 before which all the projects that are under progress or being taken up under Central Sector scheme, are to be completed. Time period of 270 days for fulfillment of condition precedents (CPs) and 18 months for construction is given for development of Silos.

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Ms. Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti in a written reply today in the Lok Sabha.