Sub-standard wheat supplied to Kashmir : FCI
At a time when consumers are baffling with the problem of substandard products in the markets, the Food Corporation of India has added to their woes by allegedly supplying sub-standard wheat to Kashmir.
Sources informed that FCI- a central government owned corporation- has stored sub-standard wheat in their godowns in Kashmir which is to be allocated to the Kashmir province under public distribution system.
“We refused to procure the wheat when we found it to be sub-standard,” said a senior official of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution Department Kashmir.
As per officials, each month Kashmir province is allocated 3029 metric tons of wheat by the FCI.
“But this month, the centre government has supplied substandard wheat under Specification Relaxation Scheme which was introduced to save distressed farmers in other states from losses due to bad weather there,” sources said.
“The wheat is not fit for consumption and CAPD senior officials decided not to lift it from godowns till FCI replaces it with good quality wheat,” officials said adding that FCI is refusing to provide the wheat which it has earlier stored in their godowns.
The FCI supplies wheat to government under PDS and to private flour mill owners under open marketing scheme. However CAPD officials said that they won’t allow the corporation to sell substandard wheat in open market as it would cause health issues.
Talking to us, General Manager FCI, Kishore said it was not a fact that wheat supplied to Kashmir is substandard.
“The government of India has procured wheat from farmers in Punjab and other states and the wheat is being allocated to almost every state in the country. So there is no question of supplying substandard wheat to Jammu and Kashmir.”
He added that in fact CAPD officials of Jammu have lifted their quota of wheat from FCI godowns and it is only Kashmir CAPD wing which has refused to lift their quota.
Food Corporation of India supplies wheat, rice to Jammu and Kashmir and as per officials the state government is heavily dependent on the supply from the corporation.
Each month Kashmir valley is allocated 32,500 Mt of rice by the FCI to meet its food requirements.
Kashmir has a huge consumption of wheat as it is grinded into flour which is used by bakers to prepare bread and confectionery. “If the FCI won’t replace the substandard wheat the supply of flour would also be hit in Kashmir,” officials said.
