New Delhi, May 16
The Centre has restored Himachal Pradesh's quota of wheat for families living below poverty line to the original level, and the decision of the reduced quota share would be withdrawn immediately, state Food and Civil Supply Minister Singhi Ram said after a meeting with Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar here today.
Mr Singhi Ram told the Union Minister that the Centre had drastically reduced the state quota of wheat under below poverty line from 3728 metric tonnes to 1795 metric tonnes for the current financial year.
He informed Mr Pawar that wheat was the main staple diet of the state and the demand for wheat had further increased due to the failure of rabi crop in the state, as drought-like situation was prevailing in the state.
The state Food Minister urged the Centre for allocations of foodgrains under the targeted public distribution system to the state to cover all people effectively under the programmes, a release said.
He said the Union Agriculture Minister agreed to extend the lifting period of foodgrains from FCI Mandi and Kulu godowns.
Mr Singhi Ram, however, told him that about 2000 metric tonnes of foodgrains could not be lifted due to non availability of food grains at Mandi and Kulu godowns during February 2006 and state quota should not lapse.
He said the state had identified 41,100 additional families under the third phase of Antodya Anna Yojna in the state, adding that the requirement of foodgrains for Himachal Pradesh had increased manifold due to the addition of new families under the programme.
He said the Centre had agreed to revise the state quota and enhance its share as per the original demand.
Mr Singhi Ram also pleaded for the allocation of additional foodgrains under open market sales scheme in the state to avoid any shortage of wheat and rice in the state.
He urged the Union Minister for the creation of increased foodgrain storage facilities in the state from present 25,930 metric tonnes to 1,20,000 metric tonnes.
Mr Singhi Ram said the present allocations of foodgrains to the state is 40,000 metric tonnes per month and the additional storage was required to maintain buffer stock for at least three months so as to avoid any shortage due to temporary/unpredictable interruptions.
He requested the Centre to include the state in the scheme started for building additional storage facilities in the North-East and Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the state government would provide all assistance like land transfers in a time-bound manner to expedite the process.
