The government will soon notify more than 4,000 vacancies in the State-owned Food Corporation of India (FCI), said the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday in Bengaluru. Addressing a meeting of a Parliamentary consultative committee attached to his ministry, Paswan said as many as 6,200 FCI vacancies were filled since 2015.

While new jobs are announced, a provision will be made to give reservation to economically weaker sections of the society, he added.

Even though State governments have been creating godowns and silos for storing food grains, they often find it difficult to carry out land acquisition as one of the pre-requisites is to acquire land near railway track, the committee was informed. Paswan, who appreciated the State governments’ contribution in enhancing storage capabilities, said many State food ministers highlighted that the rent rates and land rates have huge variations from State-to-State.

Paswan also called regular inspection of food grain stocks to ensure that the grains received by consumers are of good quality.