NOTE ON PLAN SCHEMES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION


The following Schemes are operated in the erstwhile Department of Public Distribution :

(i) FOOD CORPORATION OF INDIA Construction of storage godowns
(ii) POST HARVEST OPERATIONS

• S.G.C.(Save Grain Campaign)
• I.G.M.R.I.(Indian Grain Storage & Management Research Institute)
• I.G.M.R.I.(Indian Grain Storage & Management Research Institute)

(iii) STRENGTHENING OF P.D.S.

• Financial assistance to States/UTs for construction of godown
• Financial assistance to States/UTs for purchase of vans/trucks
• Training, Research and Monitoring

(iv) CENTRAL WAREHOUSING CORPORATION: (I.E.B.R.)

• Construction of godowns
• Contribution towards share capital of SWCs by CWC

(v) FINANCIAL PROGRESS OF THESE SCHEMES

FOOD CORPORATION OF INDIA

The Food Corporation of India is the main agency for procurement, storage and distribution of foodgrains. The FCI has been constructing storage capacity for holding buffer and operational stocks of foodgrains at nodal points in the country. The storage capacities available with FCI are mainly used for storage of foodgrains and partly for other commodities and general warehousing. The allocations and actual expenditure for the aforesaid Plan Schemes for the years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and allocation for 2000-2001 are given in the statement attached.

POST HARVEST OPERATIONS

Under the Post Harvest Operations, the following activities are taken up for implementation during the Plan period:-

• Save Grain Campaign (SGC)
• Indian Grain Storage Management & Research Institute (IGMRI).
• Central Grain Analysis Laboratory (CGAL)

In order to educate the farming community to reduce losses occurring at farm level, 17 SGC centres function in various parts of the country to undertake activities relating to training demonstration and publicity programmes. In order to develop facilities for research and training in the field of foodgrains storage and preservation, 6 IGMRI Centres located in different agora-climatic zones have been set up.

Besides, for laying down quality standards for foodgrains, assessment of quality of foodgrains that are procured, stored, and distributed by FCI and rendering technical advice on scientific storage and preservation of foodgrains, are the activities undertaken by Central Grain Analysis Laboratory (CGAL). The allocations and actual expenditure for the aforesaid Plan Schemes for the years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and allocation for 2000-2001 are given in the statement attached.

STRENGTHENING OF P.D.S

(i) Financial assistance to States/UTs for construction of godowns :

This scheme envisages extending financial assistance to States/UTs for construction of small godowns up to 2000 MT capacity especially in remote, hilly, rural and tribal areas to ensure smooth flow of PDS items to Fair Price Shops in these areas. The financial assistance is in the form of 50% grant-in-aid (subsidy) and 50% loan. The allocations and actual expenditure for the aforesaid Plan Schemes for the years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and allocation for 2000-2001 are given in the statement attached.

(ii) Financial Assistance to States/UTs for purchase of Mobile vans/Trucks :

This scheme envisages extending financial assistance to States/UTs for purchase of mobile vans/trucks for distribution of PDS commodities in remote/hilly, desert and inaccessible areas where static/regular Fair Price Shops are not found viable or feasible. Under this Scheme, vehicles can be used not only as Mobile Fair Price Shops but also for effecting door delivery of PDS commodities through Fair Price Shops. The Scheme has now been extended from the financial year 1998-99 to cover all such areas in the country where the need for such facilities exists. The assistance is in the form of 50% grant-in-aid and 50% loan repayable in five annual installments. The allocations and actual expenditure for the aforesaid Plan Schemes for the years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and allocation for 2000-2001 are given in the statement attached.

(iii) Training, Research and Monitoring :

This scheme aims at strengthening and upgrading the skills of professionals engaged in Public Distribution System and also to improve the management of supplies, evaluation studies, research studies on various aspects of Public Distribution System are also sponsored under the Scheme. The allocations and actual expenditure for the aforesaid Plan Schemes for the years 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and allocation for 2000-2001 are given in the statement attached.

CENTRAL WAREHOUSING CORPORATION: (IEBR)

Creating of Storage Capacity by C.W.C :

The Central Warehousing Corporation is the second main agency for creation of storage capacity in the country. The storage capacity of CWC is utilised not only for storage of agricultural produce, fertilizers and certain other commodities, but a sizeable chunk of the storage capacity is also placed at the disposal of Food Corporation of India for storage of foodgrains on rental basis. The Central Warehousing Corporation is a profit making organisation and the entire expenditure on construction of godowns is met out of the Internal and Extra Budgetary Resources (IEBR). The allocations and actual expenditure for the aforesaid Plan Schemes for the years 2002-2003 & 2003-2004 and allocation for 2004-2005 are given below.

Allocation and actual expenditure for the Plan Scheme for the year 2002-03, 2003-04 and allocation for the year 2004-05

Contribution towards share capital of State Warehousing Corporations by Central Warehousing Corporation:

The Central Warehousing Corporation contributes towards the Share Capital of State Warehousing Corporations from its own internal sources without depending on Government’s budgetary support. The actual expenditure for the aforesaid Plan Schemes for the years 2001-02 was Rs. 54.03 crores and for the year 2002-03 was Rs. 54.63 crores.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

On the direction of Planning Commission to the effect that 2-3% of the Budget of the Department may be kept for utilisation on Information Technology, an outlay of Rs. 1.63 crores was approved for this purpose during 1999-2000. Since no separate head was created for Information Technology, Rs.1.60 crores was kept under "Office Expenses" and Rs.0.03 crores were kept under "Other Administrative Services" by the Controller of Accounts. The allocations and actual expenditure on Information Technology for the years 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 are given in the statement attached.

EXPENDITURE IN NORTH-EASTERN REGION

As far as allocation for North East is concerned, in pursuance to the directions of Planning Commission, 10% of the Gross Budgetary Support is required to be earmarked for North East. Since there are no specific schemes in the North Eastern States, the erstwhile Department of Sugar and Edible Oils had obtained exemption from Planning Commission in this regard. The erstwhile Department of Public Distribution has a lump-sum provision of Rs. 5.00 crores for the purpose - Rs. 1.30 crores in the Revenue account and the balance Rs. 3.70 crores in the capital account.