Parliament Panel Criticizes Government's Underperformance in Godown Construction

A Parliamentary panel criticized the government's failure to meet godown construction targets over the past four years. Despite plans to construct a significant storage capacity, the progress has been inadequate. To remedy this, the committee recommended forming a high-level committee to address these issues and expedite construction, especially in challenging regions.

A Parliamentary panel has criticized the government for failing to meet its godown construction targets over the last four years, demanding swift intervention to accelerate progress in the northeastern and hilly states.

According to the sixth report on grant demands for 2024-25, released by the Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) only managed to construct godowns with a total capacity of 1,760 tonnes, far below the target of 50,100 tonnes for 2023-24.

The committee urged the establishment of a high-level panel to address ongoing challenges and recommended active private sector engagement to enhance silo operations nationwide. The panel emphasized the need for strategic planning and better implementation to achieve storage goals effectively.

(With inputs from agencies.)