Examine the critical role of Food Corporation of India (FCI) in food management in the country. Highlight various challenges faced by the FCI and suggest reforms to make it more effective in its functioning.

Critical role of FCI in food management in country (1) Procure agro-commodity at MSL. (2) Maintain buffer stocks. Eg - FCI had 470 MMT of rice in buffer stock in June 2022. By release buffer stock in case of food shortage.

Various challenge faced by FCI.... (1) Procurement side: b open Procurement policy leads to over-swelling of buffer stock. By fewer FCI collection centers are concentrated in few state - punjab, Haryana. (2) Storage Issue:- b Traditional gunny bag storage - CAG highlighted rotting of grain. b inadequate weakening facilities. (3) Distribution Issue: b Diversion of grain to black market. Reform needed:- Shanta Kumar Committee suggest:- (1) Delegating procurement in state having sufficient experience in MSP like Punjab, Haryana to state government, and farming on state like Bihar Odisha formed latest to distrer selling. (2) Reduce Collaborating with HP [illegible] in storage, warehousing. (3) Use of silo bag technology. Updhara committee recommend:- (1) End-to-end computerization of FCI. (2) Geotagging of kucker carrying grains done in Chhattisgarh. Thus, use of technology, private-public partnership can help FCI in delivery it not efficiently.