New Delhi: Ashok KK Meena, Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), Food Corporation of India (FCI) today said FCI stood tall and resolute during the very challenging period of COVID-19 pandemic and ensured food for all people of the country.
Speaking at an event organized to celebrate FCIs 60th Foundation Day here, Shri Meena said, “We have passed six decades and we recognize FCI’s pivotal role in ensuring food security for the nation, particularly in the challenges of past two-three years during the COVID-19 pandemic that tested our resilience but FCI stood tall and resolute.”
The FCI employees work tirelessly often in challenging conditions to ensure uninterrupted supply of food grains across the nation even in the farthest and most remote corners of the country, he said, adding, “It was a testimony to our commitment to the service of the nation.”
Last year, FCI along with the state agencies procured about 756 lakh metric ton of wheat and rice directly benefiting farmers and injecting about Rs 2,19,000 crore into the bank accounts, the CMD said.
The top officer of FCI further said, “Our commitment to the farmers in providing MSP and establishing direct contact with them through their bank accounts reflects our dedication to the agricultural backbone of our nation.”
Moreover, FCI’s role in maintaining the buffer stock and the reserves specially during the challenging time like drought, floods, and other unforeseen incidents and now the distribution of the fortified rice showcase our commitment to not only the food security but also to the nutritional security for the people, he stated.
“The trust bestowed upon us by the farmers who cultivate the crops and the consumers, who depend on us for their sustain and the government that trusts us with this critical responsibility is a sacred bond that we must own every day, ” the FCI CMD added.
During the event, Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti — both Ministers of State for Food and Consumer Affairs — lauded the efforts made by the FCI to supply foodgrains to 81 crore people through ration shops during the COVID pandemic.
“The FCI plays a crucial role in facilitating flagship schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana [PMGKAY] by providing ration to beneficiaries in every corner of the country,” said Department Minister Piyush Goyal, reminding the officers that the role of the FCI was not only to deliver the ration. He added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to make India free of corruption and asked the youth and staff of the FCI to bring in transparency and become whistleblowers.
Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said the FCI has adopted technologies in a big way and also taken steps to eliminate “bad sheep” in the system, sending the right signals.
The FCI was set up under the Food Corporations Act 1964 to fulfil key objectives — effective price support operations for safeguarding the interests of the farmers, distribution of foodgrains throughout the country for the public distribution system and maintaining a satisfactory level of operational and buffer stocks of foodgrains to ensure national food security.