World’s largest grain storage plan: Centre to implement pilot project in 10 districts

Various schemes of the Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Food Processing Industries have been converged

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the constitution and empowerment of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) for facilitation of the “world’s largest grain storage plan in cooperative sector” by convergence of various schemes of the Ministries of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Food Processing Industries.

A government statement said that to ensure timely and uniform implementation of the plan in a professional manner, the Ministry of Cooperation would implement a pilot project in at least 10 selected districts of different States.

The committee will be chaired by Cooperation and Home Minister Amit Shah. It will lay guidelines for creation of infrastructure such as godowns, for agriculture and allied purposes, at selected ‘viable’ Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).

The plan would be implemented by utilising the available outlays provided under the identified schemes of the respective Ministries.

Welcoming the decision, Mr. Shah said in a tweet, “Lack of agricultural storage capacity leads to wastage of food grains and farmers are forced to sell their crops at low prices. With this decision, farmers will now get modern grain storage facilities in their blocks through PACS, so that they will be able to get fair price for their grains.”

He said PACS were an important pillar of the rural economy. “With this plan, the country will get food security and crores of farmers associated with cooperatives will be benefited. This plan will enable PACS to not only provide storage facilities but also undertake many other activities, such as Fair Price Shop and Custom Hiring Centres,” he said.

The statement said that farmers could sell their crops to PACS by receiving some advance payment at the Minimum Support Price, and get the balance after the PACS sold the food grains in the market. Farmers would also be able to store their crops in the warehouses managed by PACS and get finance for the next crop cycle and sell their crops at the time of their choice or could sell their entire crop to PACS at minimum support price.