The Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD), under the Consumer Affairs Ministry, said it has issued uniform specifications for fortified rice kernels for Grade A and common rice for procurement of fortified rice stocks.
It said that 1 per cent of fortified rice kernels should be blended with normal rice stocks. The Ministry said that uniform specifications of food grains for Central Pool procurement for the ensuing Kharif Marketing season (KMS) 2020-21 has also been issued.
“These specifications as per standard practice have been issued in respect of Paddy, Rice and other coarse grains namely Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Ragi. These specifications also include standards of rice for issue to States/Union Territories for distribution under targeted public distribution scheme and other welfare schemes based on the uniform specifications of rice for kharif marketing season,” an official statement added.
“All States/Union Territories and Food Corporation of India (FCI) have been advised that the procurement during KMS 2020-21 may be strictly in accordance with the uniform specifications,” the statement added.
The Central government has pre-poned the kharif procurement period from September 26 in Haryana and Punjab and for other States from September 28.
The FCI and States Procurement Agencies have been directed to ensure hassle free procurement and Minimum Support Price (MSP) payments to farmers, the State added.