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GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 8160
TO BE ANSWERED ON 29TH JULY, 2026
FOODGRAINS STORAGE CAPACITY AVAILABLE IN PUNJAB
*160 SHRI MALVINDER SINGH KANG:
Will the Minister of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION be
pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has reviewed the storage capacity available for wheat and
paddy procured in the State of Punjab;
(b) if so, the total storage capacity available with the Food Corporation of India and State
agencies in the State of Punjab;
(c) whether any foodgrains have remained exposed due to inadequate storage facilities in
the said State; and
(d) if so, the details of the measures proposed by the Government to modernise storage
infrastructure in the State?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION AND
MINISTRY OF NEW AND RENEWABLE ENERGY AND MINISTRY OF
EDUCATION
(SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) to (d) OF THE
STARRED QUESTION NO. *160 DUE FOR ANSWER ON 29.07.2026 IN THE LOK
SABHA REGARDING.
(a): Yes, the storage capacity is reviewed regularly especially at the onset of each
Rabi Marketing Season and Kharif Marketing Season.
Based on the assessed storage requirement, storage arrangements are made including
hiring of storage capacities and movement of food grain stocks to ensure efficient
storage management and smooth procurement operations.
(b): The total storage capacity available with the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in
the State of Punjab is 168.22 LMT, comprising 151.19 LMT of covered storage capacity
(owned & hired) and 17.03 LMT of Cover and Plinth (CAP) storage capacity (owned &
hired)
The State agencies have a total storage capacity of 88.30 LMT, comprising 25.59 LMT
of covered storage capacity and 62.71 LMT of CAP storage capacity.
Thus, the total storage capacity available with FCI and the State agencies in the State of
Punjab is 256.52 LMT.
(c): No, due to open ended procurement, which results into high level of stocks in the
state, some stocks are stored under the Covered & Plinth (CAP), which is a scientific
storage system. All prescribed preservation measures, in accordance with the detailed
Cap Preservation Practices are strictly followed to ensure the quality, safety and proper
preservation of the foodgrain stocks.
(d): The Government of India has undertaken following scientific initiatives to
modernize the storage infrastructure in the country including the State of Punjab :-
Smart Warehouse Project : Under this project, traditional depots are converted into
smart warehouses which are equipped with different sensors like smoke sensors, fire
sensors & gate opening sensor etc. for monitoring key parameters such as CC)2, phosphine
levels, fire hazards, humidity, unauthorized entry and temperature on real time basis.
Smart warehouse ensures real-time visibility, timely intervention, data-driven decision-
making & standardized operations across all depots contributing to ensure safe, secure, and
efficient food grain storage and distribution.
Depot Darpan Portal: Depot Darpan Portal is a digital platform launched by the Govt of
India to enhance the monitoring, transparency and efficiency of food-grain storage depots
& warehouses under Public Distribution System.Key features of Depot Darpan include :-
a. Depot/warehouse managers assess the infrastructure of their depots through
uploading geo-tagged data regarding infrastructure and operations.
b. Portal uses a composite scoring system, assessing depots on two broad categories:
infrastructure and operational parameters.
C. Based on the scores, depots are graded.
d. Validation of data is built into the process via 100% supervisory officer verification.
e. All the FCI's owned and hired warehouses are covered under Depot Darpan portal.
Steel Silos-Scientific Storage of Foodgrains: Silo storage represents a highly mechanized
and modern method of bulk foodgrains storage, ensuring superior preservation and
enhanced shelf life. It requires only one-third of the land area compared to conventional
storage methods, lowers transit and overhead costs such as those associated with gunny
bags, reduces manpower requirements, and ensures consistent quality through scientific
handling and storage practices.
As on 01.07.2026, steel silos with a total capacity of 39 LMT at 76 locations have been
constructed and operational under various modes in the country, out of which, 9.25 LMT
capacity at 13 locations is operational in the state of Punjab.
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