50th Anniversary of Food Corporation of India

Introduction

The Food Corporation of India (FCI), a statutory body under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, was established on 14 January 1965 in Chennai. With its first District Office in Thanjavur, the Corporation soon expanded nationwide. Today, FCI operates through its Headquarters in New Delhi, five Zonal Offices, and Regional Offices in almost every state.

Role in India’s Food Security

Since its inception, the FCI has played a pivotal role in ensuring food security for the nation. Its contribution became especially significant during the Green Revolution (1968), when India sought to achieve self-sufficiency in food grains.
To support this national goal, FCI procured food grains from farmers at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), protecting them from distress sales and ensuring fair remuneration.

Functions Under National Food Policy

Under the National Food Policy, FCI performs several crucial functions:

• Conducting effective price support operations for farmers
• Distributing food grains across the country under the Public Distribution System (PDS)
• Maintaining adequate operational and buffer stocks of food grains for national food security
• Market intervention to stabilize food grain prices

Support to Welfare Schemes

FCI has been integral to the execution of major social welfare programmes of the Government of India, including:

• Antyodaya Anna Yojana
• Annapurna Yojana
• Mid-Day Meal Scheme

It also ensures food grain supplies to the Defence forces and plays a crucial role during natural calamities such as the Odisha super cyclone, Gujarat earthquake, the 2004 Tsunami, and the Uttarakhand floods.

Strengthening the Public Distribution System

As the backbone of India’s Public Distribution System, FCI is fully prepared to support the effective implementation of the National Food Security Act.
To meet future storage requirements, the Corporation has launched large-scale capacity expansion under the Private Entrepreneur Guarantee (PEG) Scheme, targeting the creation of nearly 20 million tonnes of storage capacity across 19 states.

Philatelic Tribute

The Department of Posts is pleased to release a Commemorative Postage Stamp celebrating the Golden Jubilee of the Food Corporation of India, honouring its five decades of dedicated service to the nation’s food security.