Distribute rotting foodgrains to poor: Gadkari

NEW DELHI - Hailing a Supreme Court order to the government to distribute foodgrains to the poor before they rot, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Nitin Gadkari said the Centre must immediately distribute the foodgrains for free.

“The decision of Supreme Court is very important from the poor man’s perspective. I demand from the central government that it should immediately take decision and start the programme of free distribution of food grains to poor immediately,” said Gadkari after visiting an exhibition of Photographs on rotting foodgrains.

He also asked the central government to raise the bar of poverty line, as times have changed.

“The level of Below Poverty Line (BPL) should be raised from 20,000 (rupees) to one lakh (rupees) because the norms, which were decided, have become outdated. Those whose income is less than one lakh rupees should be considered Below the Poverty Line and these food grains should be distributed free of cost to them,” added Gadkari.

Reportedly, 10,688 lakh tonnes of food grains were found spoiled in Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns as on January 1 this year, enough to feed over 600,000 people for over 10 years.

Between 1997 and 2007, 1.83 lakh tonnes of wheat, 6.33 lakh tonnes of rice, 2.20 lakh tonnes of paddy and 111 lakh tonnes of maize rotted due to lack of and poor storage facilities. (ANI)