Government Initiates Program to Boost Food Storage Facilities in Northeastern States: Pralhad Joshi
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Agartala, Dec 29 (NationPress) Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Pralhad Joshi stated on Sunday that the government has officially sanctioned a Private Enterprise Guarantee (PEG) initiative to bolster storage facilities in the northeastern states.
With this program, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) plans to increase its storage capacity in Tripura by an additional 70,000 MT within a two-year timeframe, he mentioned.
During his two-day visit to Tripura from December 28 to 29, the Union Minister engaged in discussions with Chief Minister Manik Saha, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sushanta Chowdhury, and senior officials, emphasizing that to manage price fluctuations, the government sustains an onion buffer under the Price Stabilisation Fund.
"To ensure cost-effective and efficient disposal, for the first time, the transit of onions from Nashik to key locations, including Guwahati in the northeastern region, has been conducted via rail,” he mentioned during one of the official meetings.
The Union Minister also highlighted that currently, under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY), the Centre is distributing free food grains to 81 crore individuals, which is double the population of the European Union.
Under this scheme, rice, wheat, and coarse grains are provided free of charge to state-identified beneficiaries based on local demand, he added, further stating that the Modi government has extended this free ration initiative until December 31, 2028.
Recently, the central government has also broadened the universal distribution of fortified rice, which is enhanced with essential micronutrients such as iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12, across all government welfare schemes, including PMGKAY, Integrated Child Development Services, and PM POSHAN from July 2024 to December 2028, Joshi indicated.
He pointed out that the ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ initiative has been rolled out by all 36 states and union territories, aimed at assisting migrant workers, enabling beneficiaries to collect their entitled food grains from any Fair Price Shop of their choosing, throughout the country.
To safeguard the interests of consumers nationwide, the Strengthening of Consumer Commissions initiative is being executed by the Department of Consumer Affairs, he added.
The central government has been providing financial support to state governments under this scheme to enhance their efforts, with a total of Rs 3.65 crore released to Tripura since its inception.
Joshi, who also oversees the New and Renewable Energy portfolio, praised the initiatives of the Tripura government in the New and Renewable Energy sector, noting significant advancements in this area.
Before 2018, 2.5 MW of electricity was generated through solar energy, but over the past 6.5 years, the BJP-led government in Tripura has increased this generation tenfold to exceed 20.5 MW now, he remarked.
