Tag: Food & Supplies Department

Improvements in paddy procurement in seven years

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The State Government has brought about a lot of improvement in the procurement of paddy and in the quality control mechanism of the foodgrains bought from farmers. Storage capacity infrastructure has also undergone a sea change.

A significant step has been the institution of NEFT mechanism for directly paying farmers through account transfer against the paddy bought from them. This process has made payment easier and quicker, and for this reason, was recently taken up as a model by the Centre for implementation across all States.

The Food & Supplies Department has notched up quite a few successes in the procurement of paddy and custom milled rice (CMR) during the last seven years.

They are as follows:

Krishak Bazars also as paddy procurement centres: From kharif marketing season (KMS) 2014-15, the purchasing of paddy through Krishak Bazars has become prevalent.

Procurement centres increased: In KMS 2014-15, 46 Krishak Bazars having the required infrastructural facilities were identified as centralised procurement centres (CPC). Over just four seasons, that number was increased to 325 (in KMS 2017-18). At the same time, cooperative societies continue to function as paddy procurement centres for CMR agencies; 950 cooperative societies functioned as such for KMS 2017-18.

Farmers incentivised: In order to incentivise farmers for bringing in their paddy to CPCs, in KMS 2014-15, Rs 15 per quintal of paddy was allowed over and above the MSP of Rs 1,360 per quintal. In KMS 2017-18, it was enhanced to Rs 20 per quintal.

Electronic means introduced for procurement and payment: From KMS 2016-17, it was made mandatory to employ e-procurement software capable of recording all relevant information of the farmers as well as recording the details of transactions and payments.

From KMS 2016-17, the system of payment of the price of paddy directly to the farmers’ bank accounts through NEFT was introduced, and was made mandatory from KMS 2017-18. Significantly, electronic payment through NEFT has been recently taken up as a model by the Centre.

Participation of women’s self-help groups: Participation of women’s self-help groups (SHG) and sanghas in paddy procurement is being encouraged. Till March 2018, 300 SHGs have participated in KMS 2017-18 and have procured 31,217 metric tonnes (MT) of paddy from 9,600 small and marginal farmers.

Distress sale eliminated: As a result of the Food & Supplies Department’s procurement initiatives, no distress sale of paddy has been reported in KMS 2017-18. The market rate of paddy has increased and thus it is above MSP across the entire State.

Enhancement of storage capacity

The Food & Supplies Department has created an additional 7.85 lakh metric tonnes (MT) of storage capacity during the period of 2011 to 2018. As a result, the storage capacity has increased from just 63,000 MT in FY 2010-11 to 8.48 lakh MT in May 2017.

Moreover, the department has taken up an ambitious project for the creation of another 3 lakh MT of storage space within the next two years at a cost of Rs 500 crore. With this project, the department will achieve self-sufficiency in the storage of rice.

Quality control mechanism

In order to keep a check on the quality of the foodgrains bought from farmers and of those available in markets, the Food & Supplies Department has taken several initiatives for upgrading laboratories and constructing new ones, through the Directorate of Inspection and Quality Control (I&QC).

Quality control (QC) laboratories in Kolkata (headquarters), Krishnanagar and Bardhaman have been upgraded and modernised. Specialised laboratory furniture and modern benchtop digital refractometers have been set up in the laboratories in Kolkata and Bardhaman.

Seventy-five mini QC laboratories have been set up in government warehouses and 120 in private warehouses.

A target has been set for the construction of four more zonal QC laboratories in Siliguri, Malda, Suri and Medinipur and 15 more laboratories in the offices of district controllers of food and supplies (DCF&S).

In the agriculture sector, Bangla has been one of the best-performing States, acknowledged by the Central Government several times and awarded the Krishi Karman Award for five consecutive years. The government has ensured that not just in production but in procurement and quality control too, processes are streamlined and modern methods adopted.

Reforms in PDS in Bangla in the last seven years

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To ensure proper distribution and access of essential food, the State Government’s Food & Supplies (F&S) Department has brought about end-to end reforms in the management of the public distribution system (PDS).

The public distribution system consists of the public distribution outlets (PDO), which are basically fair-price shops (FPS) and are commonly known as ration shops.

TPDS through use of ICT

Essentially, PDS has been changed to TPDS, that is, targeted public distribution system. A major reform in this regard has been the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in the management of the TPDS.

This includes:

  • Creation of electronic databank of all the stakeholders of the PDS
  • Online allocation of foodgrains up to the FPS levels
  • Doorstep delivery by distributors to dealers
  • SMS-based information to the FPS-wise registered mobile users regarding allocation and availability of foodgrains

 

Other uses of ICT in the PDS

Other aspects of the use of ICT include:

  • Complete online supply chain management
  • Call centre-based public grievance redressal system including voice recording mechanism
  • Online renewal of license for more than 21,000 FPS dealers and distributors, 31,000 superior kerosene oil dealers and agents, and, 10,000 licensees of other petroleum products like LPG, lubricating oil, petrol pumps, etc.
  • Integrated online MIS generation from the level of sub-divisional controller of Food & Supplies (SCF&S) and upwards
  • Publication of new PDS control orders and modified control orders for the distribution of foodgrains in tea gardens through government outlets have been completed

Another major achievement has been the completion of digitisation of 8.59 crore ration card data as on January 31, 2015 and the completion of online supply chain management for the distribution of foodgrains.

Awareness generation regarding PDS

  • The Food & Supplies Department has also undertaken a massive drive for public awareness generation for people’s entitlement through TPDS
  • Regular publicity through audio spots on All India Radio, display of banners, publicity by miking and through skits by local artistes in gram panchayats and municipalities is creating improved awareness among the people
  • Advertisement through print as well as electronic media is being done at regular intervals
  • A monthly periodical named Sanbadnama is being published by the department.
  • Since 2016, January 27 is being observed as Khadya Sathi Dibas

 

Toll-free grievance redressal system

  • A 12×7 call centre (that is, 12 hours a day on all days of the week) equipped with call resource management and document management system has been set up
  • Anyone can get information or lodge complaints using the toll-free helpline numbers – 18003455505 and 1967
  • People can also track the status of grievance redressal online through the portal of the F&S Department
  • In all districts, an additional district magistrate has been designated as the district grievance redressal officer to address PDS-related complaints

 

Budgetary outlay apropos PDS increased

For achieving the above goals, the Trinamool Congress Government has increased the budgetary outlay manifold during its period in power.

Whereas in FY 2010-11, the total outlay for PDS was only Rs 2,199 crore, that in FY 2018-19 was Rs 8,037 crore, an increase by more than 3.6 times.

Hence, it can be said that Bangla’s public distribution system, the lifeline of the foodgrain supply scheme of the government, has improved hugely. Work is constantly going on to streamline the system of distribution as well as that of solving any issue that may arise.

 

Khadya Sathi: Food security for Bangla

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In the last seven years, the Bangla Government has ensured food security for 90% of the State’s population. Khadya Sathi is one of the flagship programmes of the Bangla Government, implemented by the Food & Supplies Department.

In fact, managing a targeted public distribution system (TPDS) and procurement of paddy and rice at MSP to prevent distressed sale are the principal activities of this department, and the Khadya Sathi Scheme is an integral part of these activities.

The major challenge is to ensure the reach of subsidised foodgrains to the poorest of the poor.

Beneficiaries increased manifold

In financial year (FY) 2010-11, 2.74 crore people in Bangla were getting rice at Rs 2 per kg. This covered only the people under below poverty line (BPL) and Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) categories. In order to improve the access to food for the vulnerable sections, the coverage was increased manifold in the following seven years by the Trinamool Congress Government.

The flagship programme, Khadya Sathi was launched in January 2016. As of now, it ensures food security for around 8.59 crore people. Out of this, 7.20 crore people belonging to disadvantaged sections of society, who get rice and wheat at Rs 2 per kg and the comparatively well-off 1.39 crore people get foodgrains at half the market price.

Special categories

Out of the 7.2 crore people, 48.07 lakh beneficiaries are covered under special packages for the Jangalmahal region, Cyclone Aila-affected families, unwilling land-giving farmers of Singur, workers and non-workers of closed tea gardens, Hill areas, Toto tribe (staying in Totopara), and other destitute and homeless people. The achievement shows the exponential growth in coverage of people under PDS.

Special package for severely acute malnourished children

Part of the Khadya Sathi Scheme is a special package for severely acute malnourished (SAM) children. This nutrition programme is implemented in association with Health & Family Welfare Department. As part of this, from FY 2014-15, free-of-cost nutritional support is being provided to approximately 5,200 SAM category children and their mothers. The package consists of 5 kg rice, 2.5 kg wheat, 1 kg masoor dal and 1kg Bengal gram per month.

Thus, through the Khadya Sathi scheme, Mamata Banerjee-led Bangla Government is ensuring nutritional security for people of all ages across the length and breadth of the State. Access to proper food is no longer an issue now.

WB Govt to set up 16000 rice procurement camps

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West Bengal Government will assign around 700 officials to supervise and organise rice procurement camps in several blocks of the State. Procurement will commence on November 20.

Last year the State government has procured 22 lakh metric tonnes of rice. This year around 16000 camps will be set up.

“We are deploying 900 civic volunteers who will help police during the rice procurement,” said Food & Supplies Minister Jyotipriya Mullick.

The State government has also urged the FCI to procure rice for the state.

 

Food security made possible by the Mamata Banerjee Government

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One of the first announcements Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made after coming to power was “Food for all.” To put words into action, she began with Junglemahal. She announced that all Adivasi families living in the Junglemahal region would get the same benefits of ration (public distribution system or PDS) as those received by below poverty level (BPL) families.

This was followed by a more inclusive announcement – that all families whose annual income in 2011 was Rs 42,000 or less would get all the benefits given to BPL families.

In fact, the budgetary allocation on food supply during the first year of the Trinamool Congress Government, in 2011-12, took a leap of almost 25 times from the previous year’s (2010-11) allocation, which was the last year in power for the Left Front, of Rs 13,40,72,000.

Benefits more spread out

The Trinamool Government has extended the selling of rice at Rs 2 per kg through the PDS to the Cyclone Aila-affected blocks, Darjeeling hills region, the land acquisition-protesting farmers of Singur, the Sabar, Lodha and Toto tribal communities, the poor families in the seven backward blocks of Birbhum, and the almost one lakh workers and their families in the 27 closed tea gardens.

Much higher budgetary spending

During its last four years in power, the Left Front Government budgeted Rs 55,98,75,000, or Rs 13,99,68,750 per year on an average, for the Food & Supplies Department. Compared to this, the Trinamool Government overshot that amount by almost seven-and-a-half times to spend Rs 419,72,83,000, or Rs 104,93,20,750 per year on an average, during its first four years.

As a consequence of the much higher spending, the food supply scenario has also improved hugely. The budgetary allocations by the Trinamool Government have improved progressively year after year to come to Rs 202,00,00,000 for 2015-16.

Grain storage capacity has improved tremendously

The major consequence of the budgetary spending on the Food & Supplies Department increasing by almost seven-and-a-half times has been an almost 21 times increase in the grain storage capacity in West Bengal. Naturally, more and more grains are reaching the people of the State.

Ninety per cent of the almost Rs 420 crore allocated for the Food & Supplies Department during the first four years of the Trinamool Government has been spent on shoring up the grain storage capacity. The current capacity has come to 3,24,830 metric tonnes. The capacity during the last two years of the Left Front rule was a mere 7750 metric tonnes.

It can easily be concluded that the Left Front Government had no genuine intention to improve the food supply situation in the State. Whatever it spent was based more on political reasoning than on social-economic necessities.

Other achievements

  • Compared to the last two years of the Left Front rule, the current government is providing subsidised food grains through the PDS to 25% more people yearly, on an average.
  • Not just that, all the 3,21,00,000 recipients are receiving food at the same rate – that is, rice at Rs 2 per kg and flour (atta) at Rs 5 per 750 g – which was not the case during the Left Front rule.
  • During the last four years, the Trinamool Government has weeded out 1,35,18,287 fake ration cards, which is a very significant 15% of the number of cards issued till the end of the Left Front Government.
  • During the last four years, almost 88.56% of ration cards have been digitilised. As a result of digitalisation, card-holders can procure ration from an outlet in the West Bengal, and it also would not be possible to have fake cards made.
  • Under the Left Front Government, food grains had to be first brought to Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns for storage and were distributed to ration shops from there. A lot of grains went bad due to improper storage conditions, and people often received grains of inedible quality. Now the Trinamool Government buys the grains directly from the farmers and stores them in its own godowns, which are much better. Hence, there is no wastage.
  • The rate at which the State Government buys from the farmers has also improved. During the last three years of the Left Front rule, the price had improved from Rs 900 per quintal to Rs 1000 per quintal, that is, by 11%. Comparably, during the first four years of the Trinamool rule, the procurement price has improved from Rs 1080 per quintal (in 2011-12) to Rs 1360 per quintal (in 2014-15), an improvement of almost 26%.
  • In February 2012, on the initiative of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Centre granted open general license (OGL) for exporting thicker grains of rice, which was till then limited only to rice of thin grains like basmati. As a result, farmers in West Bengal as well as in other States, earn much more.
  • In addition to the normal amount of food grains, the current State Government has allotted an additional 9.5 kg per month for 4,412 malnourished children spread over 17 districts.
  • Significantly too, the State Government wants 87% of the State’s population to be brought under the Centre’s Food Security Act, when the Centre wanted to bring only 67%.
  • Last but not the least, the Trinamool Government has improved the food grain procurement and distribution system despite obvious partiality from the Centre. Both the rate at which the Centre procures grains and the quality it procures is less for West Bengal in comparison to many other States.