Bhubaneswar: Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain on Wednesday urged Union Minister Piyush Goyal to release food subsidy of Rs 10,334 crore due till April, 2022.
Writing a letter to the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Mr.Swain also requested to resolve issues regarding evacuation of surplus rice, lifting of wheat from FCI and allocation of 100 percent rice under public distribution system.
In his letter, Mr.Swain raised concern over delayed release of food subsidy by the Government of India.
As per MoU with Government of India, there has to be zero financial liability on the State Procuring Agency with regard to permissible items of cost for procurement of rice to be borne by Government of India.
Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC), the major procuring agency of the State Government is to receive Rs.7931.90 crore as provisional subsidy and advance subsidy of Rs.2402.19 crore. So, the total subsidy claim standing at about Rs.10334 crore by the end of April, 2022, he pointed out.
The additional interest incurred till March, 2022 because of delay in release and short release of subsidy comes to around Rs.5454.67 crore which remains un-recouped and should be paid by Government of India, wrote Mr.Swain.
In the ensuing Kharif Marketing Season 2021-22, out of 52 lakh MT of estimated procurement of rice, Odisha’s own consumption is about 39 lakh MT under PDS and other welfare schemes and the State is likely to have a surplus of 13 lakhs MT of rice which should be lifted immediately for smooth procurement operation.
In addition to this, the State Government has taken all necessary steps to deliver 5 lakh MT of fortified parboiled rice to FCI as per target given by the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India.
He further said that the State is in a position to deliver a higher quantity of fortified parboiled rice and the Central Department has been requested to give additional targets of fortified parboiled rice during KMS 2021-22.
Minister Mr.Swain also requested Union Minister Mr.Goyal to make available the required wheat stocks for Puri, Khordha and Nayagarh districts at FCI Depot at Jagatpur, Cuttack.
Besides, the Minister also requested for allocation of 100 percent rice to Odisha under NFSA/PMGKAY for distribution to the beneficiaries as is done in case of Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Goa and Telangana.
Mr.Swain sought personal intervention of Union Minister for early resolution of the pending issues of Odisha.