OREANDA-NEWS. April 09, 2015.

The Centre is very sensitive about the loss and damage to the crops due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms in various States. Hence, has relaxed the wheat procurement norms on the basis of requests received from States. The norms have already been relaxed for Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where procurement has started. Relaxed norms for these States are as under:

 

Refractions

Limit under uniform specification

Relaxation given 

Gujarat

Madhya Pradesh

Rajasthan

Lustre lost grains

Should have lustre

25% luster lost grains

40% luster lost grains

50% luster lost grains

Shrivelled & broken grains

6%

It was not required

10%

9%

Briefing the media about the Government’s decision, Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan said that wheat is yet to arrive in Haryana and UP. Both the States have been requested to collect the wheat samples from affected areas jointly with FCI and get them tested in regional FCI labs to avoid delay and submit report to the centre.  The Department will consider the relaxations in these States on the receipt of report. The Department is ready to consider relaxation in norms in other States also on the receipt of their requests. 

It may be mentioned that Uniform specification norms for foodgrains procurement are decided before every procurement season by an expert committee which included the State Food Secretaries also. These specifications should conform to the norms prescribed under Food Safety and Standards Act/ Rules. Norms for wheat for RMS 2015-16 are as follows;

     Wheat should have natural size, shape, colour and luster. The maximum permissible limits of different refractions in fair average quality of wheat are as under;

Foreign Matter

%

Other foodgrains %

Damaged grains

%

Slightly damaged grains

%

Shrivelled & Broken grains %

0.75

2.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

Regarding moisture content it is allowed upto 14% which is the maximum permissible limit for human consumption under the regulations of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.

Expressing concern over increasing sugar cane arrears pay able to farmers Shri Paswan said that his Ministry had convened a meeting of States Government and other stake holders on April 16, 2015 to discuss the issue and measures to facilate payment.

Shri Paswan said in view of a poor implementation Food Security Act in Bihar, he had decided to organize of Khadiya Surakash Panchayat (Food Security Panchayat) at Patna on April 19, 2015. All stake holders and Member of parliament have been invited for the Panchayat. Senior officials of Centre and State Government will also discuss the status of implementation of the Act.