HimVani
Shimla (Jan 20): In order to further strengthen grain storage capacity in Himachal Pradesh, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) would build seven new warehouses in the state under the 11th Five Year Plan, a senior official of Corporation said in press released issued here today.
Himachal Pradesh currently has a potential to store about 25,860 Metric tonne food items and is facing acute shortage of storage capacity as FCI has allotted 40,000 metric tonne quota of wheat and rice and thus requires more storage to lift the entire quota. The official said that decision to shortlist the sites will be taken later, but the warehouses are likely to come up at Bilaspur, Recong-Peo, Palampur, Nagrota, Mandi, Nahan and Shimla.
Currently, 17 depots of FCI are working in the state. The state is entirely dependent on the supply of food items by FCI from neighboring states as its own agriculture output is almost negligible. Moreover, Lahaul-Spit, Kinnaur, parts of Chamba and Shimla district remain cut off for almost five months in a year, needing more storage capacity.
