Centre nominates state member for FCI Consultative Committee

NEW DELHI, December 16 (MIC): The Government of India has nominated Huidrom Nabakumar Singh, a resident of Mayang Imphal Thana Mamang Leikai, Imphal West-II, Manipur as member of the Consultative Committee of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for the State of Manipur with immediate effect for a period of two years.

An order to this effect was issued on November 27, signed by Under Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution AK Rana.

Nabakumar who is currently in New Delhi said that as advised by the authority of the Food Corporation of India, Barakhamba Lane, New Delhi, he would be visiting Haryana and Punjab to learn how the procurement, storage and distribution operations of the Food Corporation of India in the two States took place.

With a view to protecting the interests of the producers as well as the consumers and to advice the Food Corporation of India on various matters relating to procurement, storage and distribution of foodgrains, the Ministry of Consumer, Food and Public Distribution, Government of India issued an order on October 10 last year for constitution of State/Union Territory level Consultative Committees for the Food Corporation of India, the release said.

The Consultative Committee shall consist of a Member of Parliament from the State concerned nominated by the Central government, the Secretary to the State Government dealing with Food and Civil Supplies nominated by the State government, the General Manger concerned of the FCI and non-official members  nominated by the Central government, it said.

The Member of Parliament nominated to the Consultative Committee shall be its Chairperson and the concerned General Manager of the FCI shall be the Member Secretary of the Consultative Committee.

The functions of the Consultative Committee are to discuss and make recommendations on the matters of procurement and distribution of food grains; quality of food grains; storage of food grains; transit and storage losses; interface of the FCI with State Government on functioning of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) including allocation, off take and actual distribution of food grains for Antyodaya, BPL and APL families and for  various welfare schemes being operated by the Central or State Government; sale and disposal of stocks; and any other matter referred to it by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution or the Food Corporation of India for its consideration.

The Consultative Committee shall normally meet once in every quarter. However, a special meeting of the Committee can be convened with prior information of the Ministry.

The Consultative Committee shall have the right to insect procurement, storage and distribution operations of the FCI. It shall also be entitled to inspect any godown where complaints about the quality of foodgrains stored or malpractices have been received by it. The inspection reports shall be forwarded to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution and FCI Headquarters and the General Manager of FCI concerned.