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.

Various challenges: 1. Purchasing: - Poor farmer awareness - Lack of adequate stocks available - Huge wastage of grains over 20-30% backlog 2. Transporting: - Inadequate fumigate lifting - Overbooking of FCI -> 4 times than needed in context of MSP - Unable to collect other grains than paddy, wheat 3. Huge gap between Central Issue Price and via MSP: - burden falls on FCI -> goal delay in payment - Using EBR (Ending Budget Request) to drum is a problem 4. Iron power shortage 5. challenges in open market-like exporting trends wheat export net with WTO centrality