Food Ministry Looks For Additional Rs 13,000 Crore To Assist States With Paying Farmers

The Food Ministry has looked for an extra endowment of Rs 13,000 crore to assist states with paying farmers for food grains secured by states for open dissemination.

States buy grain under the decentralized acquirement plot (DCP). Under the Food Security Act , the Center gets grain either by means of state-run Food Corporation of India (FCI) or pays states for direct buy, store and dissemination.

"The Center had assigned an appropriation of Rs 33,000 crore under DCP plan to states for subsidizing their acquirement practice in 2019-20. Numerous states like Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Assam and Odisha have requested extra assets to pay their farmers," said a senior food service official, who didn't wish to be distinguished.

He said that food secretary Ravi Kant has kept in touch with the fund secretary for this additional portion to meet the acquirement cost brought about by state governments.

"For the following financial, we have been dispensed Rs 37,000 crore under DCP for states. On the off chance that we get this Rs 13,000 crore, we will have adequate assets to run the tasks in the following year additionally," said the authority.

Under DCP conspire, the assigned states secure, store and issue food grains under focused open conveyance framework and other government assistance plans.