AGARTALA, July 28 (TIWN): Tripura Minister of Consumer Affairs Food and Public Distribution, Bhanu Lal Saha today inaugurated an food godown having a capacity of 750 metric tones at Nandanagar outskirt of Agartala .The inaugural function was attended by Chairperson of Agartala Municipal Corporation Dr. Prafullajit Sinha, Principal Secretary B K Ray, and other senior officials. Addressing the gathering, Bhanu Lal Saha said despite huge stocks of food grains and age old system of public distribution, hunger and malnutrition still persist in various parts of India. The difference across states has also complicated matters further to the detriment of the poor.

At this very outset, India is facing the problem of food insecurity for quite some long period of time. Food security is one of the basic criteria for the formation and improvement of human capital and also productivity of human being. In precise term, food security is supposed to exist  when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient ,safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life, said the minister.

The most important medium through which government ensures food security at micro level is the Public Distribution System (PDS). But, in India, the working of public distribution system and other government policies have not been successful in achieving food security at the desired level, he added.

He stated that Tripura is a model in the country in implementing the PDS, the government target is to provide the service to cent percent of the population. The minister said that the storage capacity is around 90000 metric ton and the capacity will be increased to four months.