The Food Corporation of India (FCI) on Wednesday said that it supplied 11.80 lakh tonnes of food grains to Karnataka during the COVID-19 lockdown. "From the start of lockdown, FCI has inducted (supplied) 11 lakh tonnes of food grains through 405 trainloads," an FCI statement said.
The 11.80 lakh tonnes of food grains also included 6 lakh tonnes of free grains worth Rs 2,340 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKAY).
Additionally, the Centre was also supplying the state 40,000 MT of food grains worth Rs 156 crore to freely distribute among migrant labourers amid pandemic.
The state government has lifted free food grains worth Rs 2,507 crore across the state.
FCI had also supplied 3.83 lakh tonnes of food grains under the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 1.2 lakh tonnes under open sale and 41,000 tonnes to additional state beneficiaries.
"The record induction and issue of food grains, especially under lockdown conditions was done by direct deliveries from wagons, continuous working on all days, extended working hours, attaching additional staff at depots and offices and maintaining regular sanitization and safety measures," the FCI said.
FCI Chairman and Managing Director D. V. Prasad said FCI is fully geared up to meet the requirements of the state. In Karnataka alone, FCI has handled 4.54 crore bags since the lockdown was clamped down, which is double the quantity which compared to normal operations.
Incidentally, Karnataka is the leading rice receiving state at the national level, obtaining it from Punjab, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh.
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