MPs for greater availability of jute sacks before monsoon

Government on Wednesday said it was ready for talks with political parties to find a mechanism to solve food grain storage problem as members in Lok Sabha cutting across party lines pitched for greater availability of jute sacks for states to protect wheat ahead of monsoon.

Making a brief statement during Zero Hour, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said government was willing to sit with leaders of various political parties to find a long term solution so that issues like storage and availability of jute sacks do not become a regular problem.

On increasing storage facility, he said government was supporting creation of storage facilities through its viability fund and by providing concessions in interests.

He said external commercial borrowing subject to ceiling was being allowed as interest rates were lower.

Mukherjee, however, noted that godowns cannot come up "tomorrow" an the process will take time.

In a bid to protect food grain lying in the open, from rains, contingency arrangements are been made, he said adding that jute bag producing units in West Bengal have been impressed upon increasing their production by 25,000 sacks from the present output of 2.50 lakh sacks per month.

"...I hope they (trade unions) won't go on strike," he said drawing protests from Gurudas Dasgupta (CPI).

Mukherjee said it was his personal experience that unions go on strike to put pressure at a time when jute sacks are required for procurement.

Mukherjee said as per provisions in the Jute Act, jute bags can be substituted by plastic bags for a temporary period. But personally, Mukherjee said, he was against opting for plastic bags though government could opt for it to tide over the shortage.

Besides, to ease pressure on godowns, Rural Development Ministry was exploring food for work scheme for MNREGA but the decision cannot be taken immediately as states have to be consulted as they are the implementing agencies, he said.

He said usually in November, states place their indent for jute sacks with the Food Ministry which in turn asks the Directorate General of Supplies and Disposals to fulfil the requirements.

"But there were two distortions this year," Mukherjee said explaining that Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh had to procure more grain than it had expected leading to shortage.

He said indents of Haryana and Punjab have been completed.

Earlier, Mulayam Singh Yadav (SP) questioned whether farmers were being "punished" for their record production.

He said he had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Mukherjee earlier in the day and demanded adequate supply of jute sacks for UP.

Yadav said it was unfortunate that while people were dying of hunger, food grain was rotting in the open.

Claiming that the situation of storage and procurement has not changed in the last decade, Yadav said it was the duty of the Centre to create more storage facilities.

Narendra Tomar (BJP) said though the Madhya Praesh government has made extensive efforts to procure food grains from farmers, lack of jute bags has created hindrances.

At this, some Congress members accused the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government of killing farmers in police firing leading to a verbal exchange between the ruling party and BJP members.