As much as 17,546.79 metric tonnes of food grain got damaged during the last three and half years in different godowns of Food Corporation Of India, according to an RTI response from this public sector unit.

Since a person needs a minimum of 250 grams food grains to survive, accoring to WHO, it follows that 7,18,07,160 people lost their meals to rats, pests and rains -- the factors responsible for the colossal food grain damage in the FCI godowns.

In the last three and half years 7,185.22 MTs of wheat, 6,905.57 MTs of rice, 1,015 MTs of paddy and 2,441 MTs of other grains were damaged in FCI godowns. here are the details:

Commodity    2009-10       2010-11     2011-12       2012-13          Total
                                                                          (Upto 1/7/12)
Wheat        2010               1997        2401.61        776.61         7185.22
Rice           3680               1908        936.40         381.17         6905.57
Paddy       1012                0                  0                 3.0          1015.0
Others           0                 2441             0                    0          2441.0
TOTAL  6702.0                 6346.0      3338.0       1157.78         17546.79
(All figures in MTs).

Thus, the food security bill alone is not enough, there should also be a 'food grain security against damage bill' to stop this criminal waste.

To reduce the pressure on the covered godowns of FCI, the govt should provide three months' food grain through the PDS in one go so that the people should store it thereby reducing the pressure on the covered godowns of the FCI.

Data provided by the FCI reveals that Punjab and West Bengal have the most share of the damage. So, a focussed and attentive effort of the govt. on these two regions may bring down the damage to the considerable low.

[Bhattacharya is a RTI activist.]