There is adequate food stocks in the country despite a 37 million tonnes shortfall in achieving the foodgrain production target of 220 million tonnes last year, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday.
Replying to supplementaries during the Question Hour, Minister of State for Agriculture, Hukum Dev Narain said all efforts would be made in cooperation with the state governments to achieve the target of 220 million tonnes set for this year.
In the case of oilseeds, the minister said its sharp decline in production in 2002-03 has widened the domestic demand-supply gap, necessitating imports.
Since the import of edible oils has been placed under open general licence and there are no quantitative restrictions on imports, the shortfall has been made good.
Urea: The new pricing scheme for urea units has been introduced from April 1, 2003, Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said.
Under the scheme, the urea units have been placed in six groups based on vintage and feedstock for determining the group based concession rates, he said.
River: Based on pollution land assessment, work under the national river conservation plan has been taken in 157 towns along the 31 polluted stretches of major rivers in 18 states.
As much as 782 projects amounting to Rs 3,081.89 crore (Rs 30.82 billion) have been sanctioned, Environment and Forest Minister T R Baalu said.