Center will soon release Rs 4,800 crore food subsidy to Chhattisgarh

The Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said on Friday that the Center will soon release a Rs 4,800 crore food subsidy in Chhattisgarh. “In relation to the release of an acceptable amount of food subsidy to the state, the claims received from the state government have been processed and about Rs 4,800 crore will be released shortly,” the ministry said in a statement. According to the ministry, this was communicated to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel by Food Minister Piyush Goyal during a meeting on Friday. The meeting also discussed the issue of acceptance of 40 lakh metric tonnes of surplus rice in the state during the Kharif marketing season 2020-21. The ministry said, “During the meeting, it was reported that the procurement drive for the central pool including the quantity to be purchased is entirely based on a memorandum of understanding between the Government of India, the Food Corporation of India and the concerned state government.” “It was clarified that the procurement drive for the central pool including the quantity to be purchased is based on a memorandum of understanding between the Government of India, the Food Corporation of India and the state government concerned.” “As per the condition laid down in the MOU, if a state gives bonus / financial incentive in excess of MSP or directly or indirectly, and if the overall purchase of the state exceeds the total allocation to the state made by the government of TPDS / other welfare schemes. Under India, such excess quantity will be treated outside the central pool and will not be borne by FCI / GOI. The ministry further said that the quantity of rice to be procured from Chhattisgarh for the Central Pool has been kept at 24 lakh metric tonnes, which is equal to the quantity approved in previous years. .