FCI released 11,500 MT food grains in August

Food Corporation of India (FCI) released 11,500 metric tonne (MT) of food grains in the month of August, 2022, as per the Central government’s monthly allocation.
The corporation also issued 1,054 MT and 3,080 MT food grains quarterly to the state government for Mid-Day Meal (MDM) and Wheat Based Nutrition Programme (WBNP) respectively under other welfare schemes (OWS).
These figures were disclosed by FCI Dimapur divisional officer P Vanlalpak Gangte after inspecting the corporation’s food storage depot (FSD) here, the state’s biggest with a capacity to store 26,712 MT food grains.
He said the FSD received 32,705.34 MT (13 rakes) of food grains during the month of August, which were transported to other FSDs at Mon, Tuensang, Mokokchung, Phesama, CWC Dimapur and then to Manipur.
He also informed that 12,149.73 MT (five rakes) of food grains were received till September 13.
On availability of rice in FSDs, he said FSD Dimapur now had 18,699 MT of rice available for dispatch/issue.
Meanwhile, when asked about the allegations that fortified rice meant for MDM and WBNP were being sold privately and found in private godowns, Gangte replied that there were two methods of disbursement of food grains– dispatch and issue. He said FCI contractors would dispatch the rice from one godown to another, claiming that the contractors would never dump rice bags in private godowns.
Regarding “issue”, he pointed out that allocated quantities would be issued to the department concerned as per the allocation of Government of India, clarifying that after issuing to the Supply Department, it was the department’s responsibility.
On total quantity issued to the State government, he said it solely depended on the allocations by the Central government. He mentioned that as per National Food Security Act (NFSA), monthly allocation for the Nagaland was 11,504 MT per month.