The Food Corporation of India (FCI) has commissioned a new roadmap to speed up silo construction to meet its target of 100 lakh tonnes of storage space by 2022.
With record harvests and high procurement over the last few years, the FCI is sitting on a reserve stock of foodgrains that is almost double the required level, straining capacity and forcing the use of cover and plinth storage which is not entirely weather-proof.
The previous government had constructed 6.75 lakh tonnes of storage capacity while work is ongoing for 22 lakh tonnes, said Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Friday, adding that the reason for slow progress was due to the necessity of having 1.5 km rail sidings next to the silos. Engineering consultancy firm RITES Ltd. had been asked to prepare a roadmap for a new silo model within the next 90 days, he said.
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The FCI was also in talks with its unions to streamline its labour force and bring all 40,000 workers under a uniform direct payment system, Mr. Paswan added.