Parliamentary panel supports better remunerative prices for farmers

Parliamentary panel strongly supports better remunerative prices for farmers

A Parliamentary panel has strongly advocated for taking up export of food grains to give farmers better remunerative prices for their produce. Expressing serious concern over continued wastage of huge quantities of food grains, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce said that rice and wheat are still lying in godowns for more than three years. The Panel has recommended that such grains should be distributed at a nominal price, or even free of cost, to needy Below Poverty Line families, instead of being wasted. It has suggested that the government might also consider a proposal to issue food coupons, in addition to the Public Distribution System, PDS.

The Panel headed by Mr. Shanta Kumar, MP, is also of the view that under favourable global market conditions, the question of permitting export of food grains should be considered as an option to save the farmers from this crisis. It will also help in earning valuable foreign exchange. The panel has also suggested that, to ease the situation in godowns, the grains meant for six months' consumption be released at one go under PDS. This will also reduce storage burden of food grains for the Food Corporation of India.

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