Chennai: The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is playing a very important role in Tamilnadu by ensuring uninterrupted supply of food grains to meet its regular requirement under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and the additional allotment sanctioned to the state under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY).
Through this about 3.6 crore beneficiaries in the State receive an extra five kg of rice free of cost every month for the months of April to June.
A FCI release said it has activated its machinery in the State by making transport arrangements throughout its 68 depots spread across the State covering all revenue districts, during the lockdown period.
It has employed a labour force of around 5,000 in its depots who are working relentlessly along with the field staff to induct and distribute the food grains promptly to the government so that it reaches the needy, well in time, through the Public Distribution System.
Throughout the country, FCI has 291 Lakh metric tonnes of rice and 231 lakh metric tonnes of wheat in its godown and more than ,1300 train loads of food grains have already been sent by FCI from surplus to deficit states.
FCI South Zone Executive Director, R D Nazeem said from the date of lockdown, FCI has brought in about 2.6 Lakh Metric tonnes of food grains through 101 train loads into Tamilnadu from Telangana, Andhra, Orissa, Punjab and Madhya pradesh.
Further, a quantity of 2.73 Lakh Metric tonnes of Rice and wheat have been lifted by the state during this period to be distributed to PDS beneficiaries through ration shops.
FCI Tamilnadu has another 13.4 Lakh metric tonnes food grain available in the state meant for supply to the State government for distribution to the needy.
‘Thus there is already a system in place to replenish the food grains regularly in the State as and when space is created, consequent upon lifting by the government. There is enough stock of food grains in the state and throughout the country for supplying through the PDS to meet any eventuality’, he added.