By Express News Service
NEW DELHI: Loss of foodgrains belonging to Food Corporation of India (FCI) during transportation or transit annually cost nearly Rs 300 crore. Government data said that FCI suffered a loss of nearly Rs 431 crore in the year 2021-22 as higher quantity was moved to various places during the Covid period.
A parliamentary committee in its report noted that the losses on account of transit are 0.28% and in terms of money, FCI is losing annually about Rs 300 crores due to this.
The reasons for transit losses are stated to be on account of multiple handling, poor texture of gunnies, accentuated use of iron hooks, poor quality wagons, en-route pilferages, inadequate security at rail points, etc, the report said.
The Committee while taking note of the various measures taken to prevent the losses on account of damages, storage and transit, express their opinion that the annual financial loss of Rs 300 crores on account of transit alone is really worrisome.
“The Committee therefore recommends that concrete steps need to taken to strengthen the storage and transport management system in such a way as to minimize losses on these accounts,” said the report.
Meanwhile, the government in its reply to the committee claimed that the higher value of transit losses during 2020- 21 is because of higher quantity moved to meet the requirement of enhanced special allocations in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
Also, the total movement during 2020-21 was 538.55 Lakh MT as against total movement of 409.58 Lakh MT during 2019-20.
Moreover, MSP of foodgrains is increased every year resulting in a higher value for the same quantum of loss.
The position of storage and transit losses is reviewed in every monthly performance review meeting (MPRM) at HQ level.
At Zone level EDs,(Zone) monitor it in meetings and at Regional levels GM(R) reviews it in meetings. Accordingly, all concerned have been instructed to intensify inspections of depots showing higher storage.
Storage reviewed every month
The position of storage and transit losses is reviewed in every monthly performance review meeting at HQ level. At Zone level EDs,monitor it in meetings and at Regional levels GM(R) reviews it in meetings.
