Bhopal: Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister Shri Ananth Kumar gave away an award to state’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister Kunwar Vijay Shah in New Delhi on Thursday for use of silo storage capacity in Madhya Pradesh. Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Shri Nihal Chand was also present on the occasion. It is noteworthy that the novel initiative of safe storage of wheat in silo bags was undertaken at the behest of Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan in view of shortage of jute bags for storing massive quantity of wheat during procurement in previous years
Union Minister Shri Ananth Kumar called for green plastic revolution without harming environment. He said that eco-friendly plastic should be used in agriculture sector.
Madhya Pradesh first state to use silo bags for food grains’ storage
The award to Madhya Pradesh was presented during 4th National Award Programme of the Union Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry in the category of safe storage of food grains in silo bags.
Use of silo bags for safe storage of food grains started in Madhya Pradesh from year 2012-13 when 20 thousand 677 MT wheat was safely stored in silo bags at Babai in Hoshangabad and Gauharganj in Raisen district. Following this, one lakh 31 thousand MT wheat was stored in year 2013-14 and 2 lakh 78 thousand MT in year 2014-15. Private sector investors have been encouraged for storage of food grains in silo bags.
For excellence in storage works and innovation of safe storage through silo bags, Madhya Pradesh has also been conferred Best Innovative State Warehousing Corporation of the Year Award by Indian Chamber of Commerce in March 2013.
Silo is big plastic bag in which food grains are packed with the help of a machine. It is about 140 feet long and its capacity is about 2000 MT, which can be shortened as per requirement. Oxygen is driven out and carbon dioxide aired into silo bag for insect control. Food grains remain safely stored in silo bag for average 2 years.
The award carried Rs. one lakh and letter of commendation. The then Managing Director of MP Warehousing and Logistics Corporation Shri Shiv Shekhar Shukla and General Manager Shri Umashankar Pandey were also present on the occasion.
