A Parliamentary panel has lauded the National Food Security Mission for achieving record prodution of 250.4 million tonnes food grains in 2011-12.

It was 6.4 million tonnes higher than the Planning Commission's projected demand of 244 million tonnes. The panel headed by Basudev Acharia said that the silver lining was the record increase of about 20 per cent in rice production in the eastern region in comparison to the production of 2010-11.

Keeping in view the potential of this scheme in changing production, productivity and performance in agricutlure sector, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Agriculture has desired increase in the coverage of this mission from the present 482 identified districts in 19 states to the entire country.