On July 1, 2017, the corporation had rice stocks in excess of 21 million tonne (MT) against the buffer stocks requirement of 13.5 MT besides around 5.4 MT of grain is yet to be received from the millers. With the new procurement season for 2017-18 (October-September) is to begin within two months, the corporation is holding on to huge stocks which would push up the Centre’s food subsidy expenses. In the ongoing (2016-17) procurement season (Oct-Sept), FCI in collaboration with state agencies has purchased more than 38.5 MT of rice from farmers against 34.2 MT procured in the previous year (2015-16). During FY17, FCI had allocated 30.35 MT rice to states for implementation of National Food Security Act while the offtake was around 29.29 MT, thus leaving out the rest of the stocks as excess.