Direct dialogue with farmers to be made on issues of storage, procurement, cane farming

New Delhi, 14 November (H.S): To celebrate and commemorate 75 years of progressive India and its glorious history, the Department of Food and Public Distribution is organizing special events and programmes next week as a part of ?Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav? celebration. The events will start on November 15th and will conclude on 21st November, 2021.

During this period, the Department of Food and Public Distribution will organise several activities, seminars, webinars and other events at various places in the country.

Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on Independence Day said that fortification of rice will help overcome the obstacle of malnutrition. Therefore, the department will undertake activities pertaining to sensitisation and spreading awareness about fortified rice.

On the opening day of the celebration, presentations would be made on ?India?s journey in PDS Reforms to ensure food security? highlighting the significance and impact of technology on PDS and India?s experience in ensuring food security during COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition, the Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal will virtually inaugurate the divisional office Hubli, Karnataka and Food Security Museum at Thanjavur, Chennai along with a photo exhibition.

IGMRI, Hapur will independently undertake programme for generating awareness about food security among the students pursuing Agricultural Science.

The second day will be dedicated to procurement operations including DBT and a short film will be exhibited. Interaction of farmers and beneficiaries at procurement centres will be done. National Sugar Institute (NSI) Kanpur will organise 50th Convocation Ceremony.

The following day, IGMRI, Hapur will organise awareness generation programme for farmers on efficient storage and quality control. Further, another awareness programme on various refraction of food grains and on importance of fortified rice would also be convened by the organisation. Presentations will be made on ?Journey of the Department of Food & Public Distribution in the field of ensuring Food Security in these 75 years? and ?Importance of Fortified Rice?.

The fourth day will be dedicated to Sugarcane Farmers. Interaction with farmers, self-help groups on ?Best Practices in Sugarcane Farming? will be organised. Related institutions of Lucknow and Kanpur will participate while interacting with farmers, SHGs, and Sugar Mills from UP, Maharashtra, Bihar, Karnataka, and Punjab on best practices in cane farming will be done.

The fifth day events are scheduled in Assam wherein the Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution and Textiles, Shri Piyush Goyal will inaugurate modern Silo at Changsari. He will also inaugurate Short Film on Storage Operations.

On the same day, a public event will be organised with Anganwadi kids and mothers for imparting nutrition related information and the importance of fortified rice in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh.

On the sixth day, Analytical Quality Control Laboratory will be inaugurated at IFS, Gurugram. There will be launching of short films on bursting myth plastic rice and IEC package (radio jingles, social media collaterals) and fortification of rice. Besides, street play in coordination with CWC on the subject of fortified rice will be organised. Interestingly, cooking demonstration using fortified rice on and social media promotion and community feeding to make people aware of fortified rice will also be organised in association with World Food Programme in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and MP.

The concluding day of the Iconic Week of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav will report other significant activities like discussion on storage and warehouse. At least 200 Farmer Producer Organisation are expected to participate in the event.

Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Shri Ashwini Kumar Chaubey and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti will actively participate in the celebrations.

All divisions of DFPD including Food Corporation of India (FCI), Storage, Sugar, National Food Security Act (NFSA), Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority (WDRA), Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), Indian Grain Storage Management & Research Institute (IGMRI) and others will actively participate in the celebration.