Says vital records not made available by FCI
Irfan Tramboo
SRINAGAR, Apr 2: The Government has categorically refused to lift the controversial 23000 metric tons of rice from the Food Corporation of India’s (FCI) Food Storage Depot (FSD) in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district which were earlier declared not suitable for human consumption while it stated that the FCI has not made the necessary records available to the Committee that was constituted by the administration to ascertain facts.
In this regard, a letter has been written by the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Civil Secretariat, to the Joint Secretary, (Policy & FCI), Department of Food and Public Distribution, Government of India, in which the FCI has been urged to explore alternate utilization of the stocks in focus, rather than using them in PDS if parameters of the stocks conform to any such utilization.
The communication issued in this regard has stated that on persistent request of the FCI, for the lifting of 23000 MTs of old stock of rice from FSD Baramulla, a Committee was constituted vide Govt. Order No.65-JK(FCS&CA) of 2021 dated 31-08-2021.
“The Committee in its preliminary report…revealed important aspects of this matter, which cannot be overlooked while deciding to distribute these food grains through PDS,” the letter read.
As per the details, the committee has noted the observations of the Assistant Director FCS&CA Baramulla, in light of the records and ground reports that the food grains (Rice) lifted and dispatched from PEG Baramulla earlier were returned by the consumers to the concerned Sale Outlets on the plea that they were contaminated with bird dropping, rat dropping, dust, insects, pebbles, and tasted bitter.
“Further the issue was highlighted in the media also, after which Deputy Commissioner Baramulla had constituted a committee…,” the Government stated.
The Committee has visited the godowns of PEG Baramulla on 27-03-2021 and found that the food grains were lying on the floor and were being repacked by the officials of PEG Baramulla. Food grains (Rice) as per visual appearance were containing dust, bird dropping, and insects and were also discoloured, the Government said.
“During its inspection, the recently constituted committee has found that stock rotation for the stocks under reference was not practised as FIFO/FEFO was not in place, which is in contravention of FSSA, 2006/Rules and Regulations, 2011 and can lead to supplying of sub-standard and poor quality rice to the general public.”
Further, the FCI has been told, at the time of inspection, the Committee has found that rice bags of the year 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 were mixed as has been observed from the labels of rice bags.
The Government has also noted that the vital records were not made available by the FCI to the Committee which was tasked to ascertain the facts concerning food grains.
“Internal/External audit of records are either not available or have not been shared with the Committee by FCI and records of in-house preliminary tests for incoming rice at the time of reception too were not made available to the Committee,” the letter sent to FCI read.
Further, it said, the audit inspection report of the stock has also not been made available by the FCI to the Committee.
Concerning the testing of the samples that were lifted, the letter stated that during testing, out of 10 samples, one has been declared unsafe and sub-standard. “The fact that one sample out of 10 has been so declared during testing, revealed that stocks have started to deteriorate,” it said.
Further, it has also been stated, a communication of FCI bearing No. QC/Genl. Corresp/ _MK/ 2020-21 dated 01.06.2021 has come, in which it is claimed that these stocks belong to the year 2018-19, which it said, “means the stocks are at least 4-years-old now and distribution of these stock would not be in consonance with FIFO norms followed under PDS.”
The Government stated that with these findings of the Committee reported in the preliminary report, it looks quite unreasonable to distribute these food grains under PDS.
“Further these being stocks of at least 2018-19, the distribution would not be in accordance with FIFO norms and there are chances of public resentment and adverse media coverage, which would embarrass J&K Government, Government of India and FCI,” the FCI has been informed.
The Government has categorically told the FCI that because of inadequancies and violations of standing norms for storage, that have come to the fore so far, “it is to be directed that Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, J&K, would not be in a position to lift these stocks for PDS and FCI may please be advised accordingly.”
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