New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath has directed his officials to arrange space and other infrastructure at the earliest for setting up model storage facilities with a capacity of 50 lakh tonnes, the Union Food Ministry said on Saturday.
A request to enhance storage capacity in the state for ensuring better procurement from farmers was made by Union Food Secretary Sudanshu Pandey in a meeting with the chief minister on January 29.
State-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) Chairman and Managing Director Sanjiv Kumar was also present in the meeting.
“The CM directed his officials to arrange space from the state government mandis and other infrastructure for setting up of about 50 lakh tonne of model storage facilities as soon as possible,” the ministry said in a statement.
The chief minister lauded efforts of FCI and state government officials for record procurement of paddy and wheat amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it said.
The Secretary also visited the regional office of FCI and held discussions with officers of the state government, procurement agencies, Central Warehousing Corporation and Uttar Pradesh State Warehousing Corporation on various issues related to procurement and distribution of foodgrains in the state.
Pandey said about 63 lakh tonne paddy has been procured from over 12 lakh farmers in the state, while lauding efforts made in digitization of rice procurement and billing system which has led to immense savings and faster cash flow for all the procurement agencies.
He also stressed upon the greater use of technology in the entire supply chain right from procurement from farmers to its distribution to the end beneficiaries under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Pandey also discussed the modalities for supply of fortified rice under PDS and other welfare schemes. It was apprised that procurement of fortified rice in Chandauli district had been started and the same was also getting distributed through the ration shops.
He also stressed upon the modernization of old rice mills in the state, which would improve the quality of rice even further and would also increase the income of the rice millers through productions of rice bran oil.
The Secretary also emphasized upon the increase in production of pulses and oilseeds in Uttar Pradesh which would help in diversification of crops and increase farmers’ income.
He also raised the need for increasing the production of maize in the country saying that an increased production and procurement of maize would go a long way in meeting the requirement of ethanol in the country which would aid energy conservation.
The Secretary asked the state government to encourage farmers towards increasing cultivation of maize, the statement added.
PTI
