The Food Corporation of India was set up under the Food Corporation’s Act 1964 with a vision of ensuring food security for citizens of the country. FCI is a Public Sector Undertaking, working under the Department of Food and Public Distribution, Ministry of Consumer Affairs. FCI is a statutory body established against the backdrop of a major shortage of grains, especially wheat. It is the responsibility of FCI to undertake purchase, move/transport, store, distribute and sell food grains and other foodstuffs.
Food Corporation of India (FCI) and its Functions
The FCI was set up to fulfill the following objectives of the National Food Policy:
(i) Effective price support operations to provide remunerative prices for farmers for their food grains and for safeguarding the interests of the farmers.
(ii) Distribution of food grains throughout the country through the Public Distribution System.
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(iii) Ensuring National Food Security by maintaining a satisfactory level of operational and buffer stocks of food grains.
(iv) Intervention in the food grains market when required for price stabilization.
Since its inception, FCI has played a significant role in India’s success in transforming the crisis ’ management-oriented food security into a stable food security system.
Food security has basically four pillars according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). They are:
Availability: Sufficient quantity of food should be available at all times and at all places.
Affordability: food should be affordable, i.e., people should have ample income or economic access to buy food.
Absorption: Each and every food that is available should be safe and nutritious that the body can absorb for a healthy life.
Stability: High volatility in food systems can adversely impact not only the poor but also the stability of political and social systems will be endangered. So a reasonably stable food system must be ensured.
FCI Functions
FCI is responsible for creating various warehouses for the storage of the foodgrains. Food Corporation of India is providing food grains in a wider range covering all the sections of the society at an affordable price. FCI India is running the functions:
- It supports farmers in providing food grains to large numbers of the public in a well and efficient way.
- Food is the basic requirement for human beings and FCI ensures that it is available to all people at all times.
- It is the function of FCI to store and preserve the large number of food grains that are spread over vast areas.
- To arrange transport facilities to distribute agricultural seeds, maures, and fertilizers from warehouses.
- Distribute and supply food grains through ration shops. This comes under the Food Corporation of India Act.
- FCI pays the MSP(Minimum support price) to the farmers. This price is fixed by the government.
FCI ensures the availability of food grains to the weaker sections of society at affordable prices and gives MSP to the farmers. It is also responsible to ensure effective market interventions by keeping the prices under check and also ensuring the overall food security of the country. Like any other government department, the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) is in charge of recruiting the staff of Food Corporation India (FCI).
To clear the FCI recruitment Exam you must have a clear understanding of the syllabus and exam pattern. Also, seek the guidance of experts and practice with FCI manager mock tests regularly at online platforms like Entri. The candidates who get selected through the FCI Recruitment will be full-time employees of FCI and governed by rules, conditions of FCI.
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