December 9, 2022
Jawhar Sircar’s Supplementary Question on the steps taken by the government to ensure adequate procurement of foodgrains for its schemes
Thank you, Sir, for this opportunity. I have only one simple and sharp question addressed to the hon. Minister. Are we heading for a food crisis? I have figures with me. Usually, we have stocks of about 25 million tonnes to 26 million tonnes of wheat at the beginning of
the year. We have around 29 million tonnes to 30 million tonnes of rice at the end of the year. Last year’s procurement was an all time record. But, in this current year and in the previous year, we have consumed a lot, thanks to the Prime Minister’s free ration scheme. The net question is that wheat has been impacted, as we know, by the heat wave and other factors. And, Sir, rice, paddy has also been badly
impacted. They have been reflected on the procurement figures. So, we are in shortage state, hon. Minister. And I would like the Government to admit it and take steps.
