The Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) under the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India organized an outreach programme on “registration of warehouses with WDRA” on 28.08.2023 at Baba Jitto Kisan Kendra, Directorate of Agriculture, Gole Pully, Talab Tillo, Jammu to promote registration of warehouses with WDRA.
Shri Arun Kumar Shrivastava, Member, WDRA highlighted that the produce stored in WDRA registered warehouses has greater security compared with unregistered warehouses. He said that electronic negotiable warehouse receipt is safer compared with paper receipts especially as chances of fraud against paper receipts are very high. e-NWR is a negotiable instrument backed by the WDRA Act 2007. He also outlined the benefits of WDRA registered warehouses including various insurances, periodic inspections, scientific storage with SOP, etc. to safeguard the interest of depositors and bankers.
He further said that Govt bodies such as FCI, NAFED and National Horticulture Board have already issued guidelines that Central Pool Stock should be kept in WDRA registered warehouses. Elaborating on the value chain of WDRA registered warehouse eco-system, he said that the direct beneficiaries of the WDRA ecosystem are farmers/warehouseman/ traders and requested participant specially owners of warehouses to register their warehouses with WDRA.
During Open House significant suggestions were made in further improving the registration process and pledge finance system of WDRA.
Shri Vikas Sharma, Director, Horticulture Planning and Marketing, Jammu & Kashmir in his welcome address appreciated the unique role of WDRA in ensuring scientific storage of food grains and pledge finance to the farmers through e-NWR ecosystem. Shri H K Dabas, Under Secretary, WDRA briefed about the Warehousing Act and Rules. Shri Brijendra Pratap Yadav, Assistant Director, WDRA explained about the registration process of WDRA for warehouseman and warehouses.
Representatives from NABARD, FCI, Department of Food, Civil Supplies Consumer Affairs, Industries and Commerce, SIDCO, SICOP, various banks, department of Agriculture and Horticulture, Jammu, J & K Agro Corporation, President CA Stores Association Kashmir, Maajid Wafai and various CA Stores owners, owners of warehouses, Farmers, FPOs etc. attended the conference.