Haryana to increase foodgrain storage capacity

by Haryananewswire (Balbir)

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 19

In view of the record foodgrains production in the State, Haryana Government will create additional storage capacity of 22 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) within a year.

          This decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Haryana Chief Minister Mr Bhupinder Singh Hooda here today. The meeting was attended by Food and Supplies Minister Mr Mahender Partap Singh, Chief Parliamentary Secretary Mrs Anita Yadav and a number of senior officers of the State Government.

          Mr Hooda asked various procurement agencies to expedite the creation of additional foodgrains storage capacity and set up new godowns. He directed the HAFED to create storage facility for ten LMTs, Haryana Warehousing Corporation would set up storage facility for seven LMTs, Haryana Agro Industries Corporation would create capacity of one LMT and Food and Supplies Department would create storage capacity of four LMTs.

          In Haryana, covered godown of 13.70 LMTs capacity were at an advanced stage of  construction and these would be completed before March 31, 2013. Under Private Entrepreneur Guarantee (PEG) scheme-2008, projects of 9.31 LMTs would be completed before March 31,2013 whereas projects of 3.16 LMTs were in the pipeline. HAFED would set up covered godown project for 3.25 LMTs, Haryana Warehousing Corporation would set up covered godown project for 0.50 LMTs, Haryana Agro Industries Corporation 0.54 LMTs and Food and Supplies Department 0.10 LMTs.

          Haryana has existing storage capacity of 84.23 LMTs, which includes covered storage capacity, covered storage capacity under PEG scheme and covered plinth/open storage capacity. The State has covered storage capacity of 48.79 LMTs, whereas capacity of  5.24 LMTs has been created under PEG scheme and 30.20 LMTs covered at plinth or open storage capacity.

The State Government has procured 86.65 LMTs of wheat this year. The movement of stocks, godowns in the pipeline under PEG and other schemes, construction of godowns under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund of NABARD were also reviewed in the meeting.