Union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti on Monday said the government is focusing on increasing grain procurement from the northeastern states, with the objective of making the region self-reliant in cereal production and providing price support to farmers.

She also lauded the efforts of the state governments of the northeast, especially Assam and Tripura, where grain procurement by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has registered an increase.

The Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and Rural Development was speaking after inaugurating an FCI depot at Tamenglong, Manipur, virtually from its zonal office.

Jyoti said the FCI has increased its storage capacity from 5.05 lakh metric tonne in 2014 to 8.21 lakh metric tonne in 2023.

The FCI has also improved upon the procurement potential in Assam and Tripura by effective handholding of the respective state governments, she said.

It has procured 1,21,630 MT and 28,476 MT paddy, respectively, from Assam and Tripura so far during the Kharif marketing season 2022-23, which will further increase as the season progresses, the minister said. 

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