What is the massive grain storage plan the govt has unveiled, how it’ll help farmers

Source: The post is based on the article “What is the massive grain storage plan the govt has unveiled, how it’ll help farmers” published in The Hindu on 15th June 2023

What is the News?

The Union Cabinet has approved the constitution of an Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) to facilitate the world’s largest grain storage plan in the cooperative sector. 

Why does India need a grain storage plan?

India accounts for 18% (1.4 billion) of the global population (7.9 billion). However, it accounts for only 11% (160 million hectare) of the arable land (1,380 million hectare) in the world. 

India also runs the world’s largest food programme under the National Food Security Act, 2013, which covers about 81 crore people.

At present, India has a foodgrain storage capacity of 145 million metric tonnes (MMT) against the total food production of 311 MMT—leaving a gap of 166 MMT. 

In the absence of sufficient storage facilities, food grains are sometimes stored in the open, which results in damage.

Therefore, to ensure the food security of a billion-plus population, a robust network of foodgrain storage facilities becomes essential.

What is the ‘world’s largest grain storage plan in the cooperative sector’?

At present, multiple government agencies, like the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Central Warehouse Corporation, Warehouse Development Regulatory Authority, Railways, and the civil supply departments of states are involved in grain management. However, that has not yielded the desired results.

Under the new plan, the Ministry of Cooperation aims to set up a network of integrated grain storage facilities through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) across the country. According to the ministry, there are more than 1,00,000 PACS spread across the country with a huge member base of more than 13 crore farmers.

What is the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) and what are the benefits of grain storage plan?