North News
New Delhi, November 6
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved an infusion of equity of Rs 10,700 crore for working capital in the financial year 2024-25 in the Food Corporation of India (FCI). The decision is aimed at bolstering the agricultural sector and ensuring the welfare of farmers nationwide. This strategic move shows the government’s steadfast commitment to supporting farmers and fortifying India’s agrarian economy.
The official statement said that the FCI started its journey in 1964 with authorised capital of Rs 100 crores and equity of Rs 4 crores. The operations of FCI increased manifolds resulting in the increase of authorised capital from Rs 11,000 crores to Rs 21,000 crores in February 2023. The equity of FCI was Rs 4,496 crores in Financial Year 2019-20 which increased to Rs 10,157 crores in the Financial Year 2023-24. Now, the government of India has approved a significant amount of equity of Rs 10,700 crores for FCI which will strengthen it financially and will give a big boost to the initiatives taken for its transformation.
The FCI plays a pivotal role in ensuring food security by procurement of food grains at Minimum Support Price (MSP), maintenance of strategic food grain stocks, distribution of food grains for welfare measures and stabilization of food grain prices in the market. The infusion of equity is a significant step towards enhancing the operational capabilities of FCI in fulfilling its mandate effectively. The FCI resorts to short-term borrowings to match the gap of fund requirements. This infusion will help to lower the interest burden and will ultimately reduce the subsidy of the Centre government.
The Centre’s dual commitment to MSP-based procurement and investment in FCI’s operational capabilities signifies a collaborative effort towards empowering farmers, fortifying the agricultural sector, and ensuring food security for the nation.
