Why Punjab’s Granaries Overflowing – Burning Issues – Free PDF Download

GRANARIES IN PUNJAB ARE OVERFLOWING

1. Nearly 110 lakh metric tonne of wheat from the last procurement season is still lying in the open and covered godowns.
2. Nearly 55 lakh metric tonnes of rice is lying from the last season.
3. Nearly 25 LMT grains from 2017-18 season and 30 LMT from 2018-19 season are still lying at the granaries.

• The state has only 110-lakh metric tonne capacity under covered space.

 TRAINS SUSPENDED SINCE SEP 24

• The train traffic remained disrupted in the state since September 24 when the farmers started blocking railway tracks to protest against Centre’s farm laws.
• According to Punjab Food Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, had the movement continued, at least 50-60 lakh metric tonnes of grains would have been moved out of the state.
• With the restoration of train traffic, the state now hopes that evacuation will take place at a faster pace.
• On Tuesday alone, 35 rakes of grains were sent out to other states.

RECORD PADDY GRAINS PROCURED IN 2020

• The state has procured a record 200 lakh metric tonnes of paddy this procurement season.
• After shelling, at least 140 lakh metric tonnes of rice would need to be stored in covered godowns.
• As rice is not as hardy a grain as wheat, it needs to be stored in covered spaces.

 COVID-19: A RELIEF FOR THE GRANARIES

• Evacuation of foodgrains had started at a fast pace after the Centre started distributing foodgrains to the poor and underprivileged during lockdown.

• In September also, 1,000 rakes were sent to other states till the train traffic was disrupted on September 24.

WHY HAS THE OUTWARD MOVEMENT BEEN SLOW?

• Ever since other states, including Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, started contributing to the central pool, the outward movement of grains from Punjab has been affected.
• Punjab averages outward movement of 6-7 lakh metric tonnes of rice every month and 2-3 lakh metric tonnes of wheat every month from the godowns.

WHAT HAS BEEN DONE?

MOVEMENT TO OTHER STATES

• Food Supplies Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said that the FCI was ready to despatch 31 rakes of rice and 4 rakes of wheat to other states from Punjab.
• “The movement will start finally. We have heaved a sigh of relief. In the coming months, we will have to keep at least 140 lakh metric tonnes of rice under covered space.”

 GUNNY BAGS FOR PADDY

• Also, Punjab would soon get the supply of 60,000 gunny bags that were stuck in Delhi and Rajpura. The gunny bags were already in short supply this year but the transport disruption had compounded the problem.

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