Coronavirus lockdown: FCI supplies enough stock of foodgrains to Karnataka
The Food Corporation of India (FCI), amid the COVID-19 challenge, has ensured uninterrupted supply of foodgrains to Karnataka under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) covering over 4 crore beneficiaries.
As a result, the beneficiaries will be receiving an extra 5 kg of rice free of cost every month from April to June. This apart, another 5 kg of food grains per person per month for the next three months have been allotted to those who have been issued ration cards by the state government.
Facilitating the supply of food grains, the FCI machinery in Karnataka has roped in all its staff, labourers besides making transport arrangements in all its 71 depots amid the lockdown. Appointing about 3,000 labourers, the corporation is ensuring steady distribution of food grains on time through the Public Distribution System.
The FCI Chairperson and Managing Director D V Prasad said, "FCI has a stock of 538.19 LMT food grains comprising of 301.73 LMTs of Rice and 236.46 LMTs of wheat in the country. Since the lockdown, FCI has brought in about 2.44 LMTs of foodgrains through 87 train loads into Karnataka. Further, a quantity of 2.76 LMT of Rice and 0.43 LMT of Wheat has also been released to the state during this period. FCI has another 6.40 LMT food grain available in the state meant for supply to state govt for distribution to the needy."
DV Prasad also said that a new beneficiary scheme has been introduced for the supply of food grains to charitable institutions/NGOs engaged in relief operations to provide cooked meals for various needy people including migrant labour/vulnerable groups at a subsidised rate of Rs.21 per kg for wheat and Rs. 22 per Kg of Rice. He appealed to NGOs to come forward and make full use of the scheme.