April 24, 2020
Food Corporation of India (FCI) set a new benchmark by moving 102 train loads carrying about 2.8 Lakh Metric Tonnes (2.8 LMT) food grains on April 22,2020.
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A spokesperson informed that maximum movement was from Punjab which loaded 46 train loads followed by Telangana with 18. Wheat and Raw rice was moved from Punjab and Haryana to various parts of the country, Boiled rice was moved from Telangana to Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
He said that pace has also picked up post April 15 with all major wheat producing states starting procurement operations. Till 22.04.20, a quantity of 3.38 MMT wheat has been procured for the central pool with Punjab alone contributing 2.15 MMT. The target set for procurement of wheat during this season is 40 MMT.
With this movement, the total food grains stocks moved by FCI during the lockdown period crossed 5 MMT, at a daily average of 1.65 Lakh MT. During the same period FCI unloaded 4.6 MMT stocks and distributed 9.8 MMT to the state governments under various schemes despite all challenges faced due to country wide lockdown and declaration of containment zones in many parts of the country. Under PMGKAY, FCI has already provided over 4.23 MMT food grains to state governments for distribution to about 80 crore beneficiaries @5 Kg/person free of cost, he concluded.
