Weather, staff shortage, negligence main reasons

Food grain godowns, open as well as covered, in Punjab are brimming with stock of wheat and rice. Adding to storage woes is bumper production season after season and slow movement of grains out of the state. The piles of grain are getting nearly unmanageable due to staff shortage, say officials. Gurpreet Singh Nibber explains the main reasons that make grains vulnerable to pilferage from the state-run godowns.

1 Problem of plenty

At present, there are 5,000 covered area plinths (CAP) — open and closed godowns and silos — in the state with a total storage capacity of 162 lakh tonnes. These godowns are storing at least 270 lakh tonnes of grain (160 lakh tonne wheat and 110 lakh tonne rice). The government agencies find it difficult to manage the stock despite four procurement agencies — Markfed, Pungrain, State Ware Housing Corporation and Punsup — facilitating the food department. Each procurement agency has about 500-600 godowns, spread in every nook and corner of the state. “Managing them and keeping track on the stock is a tough task,” said an officer on anonymity.

2 Vagaries of weather

The bulk of the wheat stock (170 lakh tonnes of previous three seasons) is stored in state godowns. Most of it is stored under the sky, covered with tarpaulin, which make the grain vulnerable to getting damaged, especially in the rainy season. Food department officials say the stock has to be looked after well to save it from rotting. With the passage of time, the outflow of grain to other states has gone down as most of the consuming states have also started producing grains of their own.

3 Employee negligence

Being a perishable commodity, food grains need proper handling and care. Any negligence leads to rotting or theft. “There is a system in place for regular checking of stock by way of physical verification. Pilferage and thefts occur when the procedure is not followed,” said food and civil supplies minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, adding that there are watchmen at every godown, besides other officials, including inspector, AFSO, DFSO, DFSC and deputy director. Out of total 270 lakh tonnes, entire 110 lakh tonne rice is stored in the Centre’s Food Corporation of India (FCI) facilities. Of the 160 lakh tonne wheat, 30 lakh tonne is in the custody of the FCI and the rest is with the four state agencies.

4 Staff shortage

There is general perception in the food department that staff shortage is one of the main reasons behind lapses leading to grain pilferage. Officials say the staff over the years has not increased in the same proportion as the piles of grain have. Due to staff shortage, things have become almost unmanageable, they say.

5 Officials get occupied during procurement

For at least four months in a year, food department is engaged in procurement —April and May in the rabi season for procurement of wheat, and October and November during the kharif season for paddy procurement. During this time officials get busy and little care is given to the existing stock, making it vulnerable to pilferage.