MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
In today's world, consumers are playing a critical role in the competitive business economy which is making the corporates look into their production with values and quality. Food and public distribution are into news due to their inefficiency. Let us have a quick look into the ministry. the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution is divided into two major departments namely department of consumer affairs and the department of food and public distribution.
The department of consumer affairs is established under the consumers protection act 1986. This department takes care of the consumers if they are cheated by the producers and industries. It ensures that all the consumers enjoy the benefits of the money they invest in the products they buy. The quality of products is to be checked and verified in order to protect the consumers interest. The harmful products are banned from being produced. At any inconvenience, the consumers can approach the grievance redressal body of the department of consumer affairs.
The primary policy objective of the Department of Food & Public Distribution is to ensure food security for the country through timely and efficient procurement and distribution of Food grains. This involves procurement of various Food grains, building up and maintenance of food stocks, their storage, movement and delivery to the distributing agencies and monitoring of production, stock and price levels of Food grains.
The focus is on incentivizing farmers through fair value of their produce by way of Minimum Support Price mechanism, distribution of Food grains to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and covering poor households at the risk of hunger under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), establishing grain banks in food scarce areas and involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Public Distribution System (PDS).
The Department is also responsible for formulation of policies concerning the sugar sector such as fixing of Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane payable by Sugar factories, development and regulation of sugar industry (including training in sugar technology), fixation of levy price of sugar and its supply for PDS and regulation of supply of free sale sugar. The Department also formulates policies on export and import of Food grains, sugar and edible oils.
Functions
1) Implementation of the public distribution system with special focus on the poor.
2) Provision of storage facilities for the maintenance of central reserves of food grains and promotion of scientific storage.
3) Formulation of national policies relating to export and import, buffer stocking, Quality control and specifications of food grains.
4) Administration of food subsidies relating to rice , wheat and coarse grains.
5) Policy matters relating to sugar and sugarcane sector, fixation of fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane payable by sugar Factories, development and regulation of sugar industry(including training in the field of sugar technology)and sugar supply for PDS.
There are many controversies about the public distribution system as the services are not rendered properly. Thus, if the consumers have any problem faced from the distribution system, one can approach the consumer affairs department to settle the dispute. In this way, both the departments work hand in hand under the ministry.
For example: We can take the case of nestle's maggi. The claim or allegation was that maggi showed a considerable amount of lead which acts like a slow poison and can kill one's life. Immediately, the case was handed over to the concerned ministry, i.e., ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution. The department of consumer affairs took into the case and investigated the affairs of nestle's and came up with the concluding statement with the allegation proven to be wrong. As the consumers were affected, the department of consumer affairs stood up and acted to avail a solution to the problem. In this way, any harm to the consumers and the problems in the distribution of the food to the BPL are looked into by this ministry.
The department of consumer affairs is established under the consumers protection act 1986. This department takes care of the consumers if they are cheated by the producers and industries. It ensures that all the consumers enjoy the benefits of the money they invest in the products they buy. The quality of products is to be checked and verified in order to protect the consumers interest. The harmful products are banned from being produced. At any inconvenience, the consumers can approach the grievance redressal body of the department of consumer affairs.
The primary policy objective of the Department of Food & Public Distribution is to ensure food security for the country through timely and efficient procurement and distribution of Food grains. This involves procurement of various Food grains, building up and maintenance of food stocks, their storage, movement and delivery to the distributing agencies and monitoring of production, stock and price levels of Food grains.
The focus is on incentivizing farmers through fair value of their produce by way of Minimum Support Price mechanism, distribution of Food grains to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and covering poor households at the risk of hunger under Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY), establishing grain banks in food scarce areas and involvement of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Public Distribution System (PDS).
The Department is also responsible for formulation of policies concerning the sugar sector such as fixing of Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane payable by Sugar factories, development and regulation of sugar industry (including training in sugar technology), fixation of levy price of sugar and its supply for PDS and regulation of supply of free sale sugar. The Department also formulates policies on export and import of Food grains, sugar and edible oils.
Functions
1) Implementation of the public distribution system with special focus on the poor.
2) Provision of storage facilities for the maintenance of central reserves of food grains and promotion of scientific storage.
3) Formulation of national policies relating to export and import, buffer stocking, Quality control and specifications of food grains.
4) Administration of food subsidies relating to rice , wheat and coarse grains.
5) Policy matters relating to sugar and sugarcane sector, fixation of fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane payable by sugar Factories, development and regulation of sugar industry(including training in the field of sugar technology)and sugar supply for PDS.
There are many controversies about the public distribution system as the services are not rendered properly. Thus, if the consumers have any problem faced from the distribution system, one can approach the consumer affairs department to settle the dispute. In this way, both the departments work hand in hand under the ministry.
For example: We can take the case of nestle's maggi. The claim or allegation was that maggi showed a considerable amount of lead which acts like a slow poison and can kill one's life. Immediately, the case was handed over to the concerned ministry, i.e., ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution. The department of consumer affairs took into the case and investigated the affairs of nestle's and came up with the concluding statement with the allegation proven to be wrong. As the consumers were affected, the department of consumer affairs stood up and acted to avail a solution to the problem. In this way, any harm to the consumers and the problems in the distribution of the food to the BPL are looked into by this ministry.
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