The Food Corporation of India, or FCI, is a government-run organisation that was established in 1965 to ensure the food security of the country. The full form of FCI is quite long and cumbersome, but it is important to know what it stands for if you want to understand this organisation fully.
The initiative of the Food Corporation of India
Food Corporation of India is one of the largest organisations in India. It is an autonomous body that functions under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution. The Food Corporation of India was set up on 14th January 1965 with its headquarters in New Delhi. The organisation has been playing a significant role in the development of the country’s food security infrastructure.
The Food Corporation of India is entrusted with the task of procurement, storage, and distribution of food grains. The organisation has a nationwide network of godowns and warehouses that help in the efficient distribution of food grains. Food Corporation of India also undertakes programmes for price stabilisation and market intervention.
Organisational Structure of Food Corporation of India
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is a government-owned corporation that was established in 1964 under the Food Corporation of India Act. The FCI has the responsibility for managing foodgrain stocks and controlling the prices of essential food commodities in India.
The FCI is organised into five directorates: procurement, storage, transport, distribution, and marketing. The FCI has a network of over 15,000 offices and warehouses across India.
The FCI is one of the largest employers in India, with over two lakh employees.
Functions of Food Corporation of India
Following are the functions of FCI
- Food Corporation of India is responsible for the procurement, storage and distribution of food grains throughout the country
- It also undertakes other functions related to food grain management such as price support operations, buffer stocking
- FCI also provides inputs and technical assistance to States/UTs for smooth implementation of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS)
- The Corporation has been playing a very significant role in ensuring food security in the country
Some of the other important functions of the Food Corporation of India are
- Price stabilisation through market intervention operations
- Procurement and distribution of pulses, edible oils and sugar
- Management of Foodgrains godowns and cold storage
- Implementation of a Food Security Scheme in collaboration with the State Governments
- Carrying out Food Fortification Programme in order to make available safe and nutritious food to all sections of the population
Schemes of FCI
The Food Corporation of India is a nodal agency for the implementation of the following schemes:
- National Food Security Act, 2013
- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana
- Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan
- Foodgrains Bank Scheme
- Food for Work Programme
- Integrated Child Development Services Scheme
- Mid-Day Meal Scheme
- Apart from the above schemes, FCI also provides input and technical assistance to the State Governments for smooth implementation of other schemes like Antyodaya Anna Yojana, Annapurna Scheme
Roles and Responsibilities of FCI
FCI has the following roles and responsibilities:
- To procure food grains from the farmers at a minimum support price
- To maintain effective stock levels of food grains to ensure national food security
- To distribute food grains throughout the country through its network of depots and offices
- To regulate the market prices of food grains by way of buffer stocking operations
Distribution at Food Corporation of India
The Food Corporation of India (FCI) is an Indian government-owned corporation that acts as the food supply regulator for the country. It was founded to consolidate and regulate the activities of various state-owned Food Corporations. The FCI has its headquarters in New Delhi and regional offices throughout India.
The FCI is responsible for the distribution of food grains throughout India. It procures, stores, and transports food grains on behalf of the Indian government. The FCI also regulates the release of food grains from its warehouses to ensure that there is no shortage of essential commodities in the country.
FCI satisfies the TPDS standards by procuring grains that are issued at the Central Issue Price set by the government in order to achieve the goal of assisting the economically vulnerable sectors of society.
From its base depots, FCI provides food grains to state governments and agencies for distribution through Fair Price Shops.
Conclusion
FCI is the largest food corporation in India. It was established in 1965 to provide food security for the country. The organisation has come a long way since its inception, and it now employs more than 1 million people.