Consumer Affairs, Food & Civil Supplies Department

Formation of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution department

Pre-Independence

 During the World War II India faced acute food shortages and to meet
the exigencies a separate Food Department was established on 1st
December 1942 under the Commerce Member of the Governor
General’s Council. Following is the extract of note made by the first
Secretary Food, Benjamin George Holds worth, CIE, ICS, taken from the
Home Department, wherein the proposal to issue a formal Resolution of
constitution of the new Department of Food by the Home department is
dealt.

Post-Independence

 The Food Department was re-designated as Ministry of Food on

29th August 1947. As per available records, the Directorate of Sugar
and Vanaspati was part of Food Ministry in 1947. On 1st February 1951
the Ministry of Agriculture was combined with the Ministry of Food to
constitute the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, for greater administrative
efficiency and economy. Over time as the work expanded significantly,
two separate ministries, namely Ministry of Food and Ministry of
Agriculture were formed in October 1956 but they were again merged on
17th April 1957 as Ministry of Food and Agriculture. On 30th December
1958, the work related to the Central and State Warehousing
Corporations was transferred to the Department of Food, in the Ministry
of Food and Agriculture.

 In 1960 the Ministry was made into two departments, namely the
Department of Food and Department of Agriculture. Department of Food
was given the responsibility of procurement of food grains for civil and
military requirements, distribution of imported food grains to States, co-
ordination, planning and guidance of national food policy and regulation
of import and export of food grains. Directorate of Sugar and Vanaspati
remained with Department of Food. Department had various schemes
for development of sugar and vanaspati industries. The National Sugar
Institute was actively engaged in teaching, training and research for the
development of this critical sector.

 In 1962 some subjects related to Fisheries, Fruits and Vegetables were

transferred from Agriculture to the Department of Food. Subsequently
some items related to ‘sugar’ were also transferred to the Department of
Food from Agriculture. These included Indian Institute of Sugarcane
Research, Lucknow, Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Coimbatore and
Indian Central Sugarcane Committee.
  In 1965, under the Food Corporation Act, 1964, the Food Corporation of
India (FCI) was set up in the Department, as the country was facing
major shortage of food grains, especially wheat.

 In January 1966, the Ministry of Community Development and

Cooperation was merged with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to
form a Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Community Development and
Cooperation. Also in 1966 the subjects related to Fisheries, Wildlife
Preservation, Prevention to Cruelty to Animals, Movement of Fertilizer,
Intensive Agriculture District Plan etc were transferred back from the
Department of Food to the Agriculture.

 In 1968, Sugarcane Research and Sugarcane Development Scheme

were also transferred from the Department of Food back to Agriculture.
While the subject of coordination of relief measures during drought,
scarcity and famine and that loss of human life during such periods were
added to the Department of Food.

 In 1971, the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Community Development and

Cooperation was renamed as Ministry of Agriculture, with four
departments, including the Department of Food.

 In November 1976, the Directorate of Sugar and Vanaspati was

bifurcated, with Directorate of Sugar remaining with the Department of
Food, while the work relating to Vanaspati, vegetable oils and fats etc.
were transferred to the Ministry of Civil Supplies and Cooperation.

 In 1983, the Department of Food was taken out of the Ministry of

Agriculture and a new Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies was formed.

The following functions were transferred to the Ministry :

 Purchase of food stuffs for civil and military requirements and their
disposal

 International Wheat Council, International Sugar Council, World Food

Council and IFPRI.

 Entering into treaties and agreements with foreign countries and

implementing of treatise, conventions with foreign countries relating to
trade and commerce in food grains and other food stuffs.

 Hiring and acquisition of godowns for storage of food grains and other
food stuffs including sugar

 Inter-State trade and commerce in respect of food grains and foodstuffs

including sugar
 Industries, the control of which by the Union is in public interest, related
to fruit and vegetable processing industry, sugar industry including gur
and khandsari and food grain milling industry

 Central Warehousing Corporation and State Warehousing Corporations

 Trade and commerce in and supply and distribution of food grains

 Trade and commerce in and the production, supply and distribution of

sugar and food stuffs other than food grains

 Price control of food grains, foodstuffs and sugar

 Matters related to Directorate of Sugar, National Sugar Institute,

Development Council for Sugar Industry and other subordinated offices
under Department of Food.

 In June 1991, an independent Ministry of Food was created. But in

March 1992 in order to improve efficiency, the Ministry of Food, which
was having a single department, was divided into two departments,
Department of Food and Department of Food Procurement and
Distribution.

 On 4th June 1997, the Ministry of Food and Ministry of Civil Supplies

were merged to form Ministry of Food and Consumer Affairs with three
departments, Department of Food & Civil Supplies, Department of Sugar
and Edible Oils and Department of Consumer Affairs.

 On 15th October 1999, the Ministry of Food and & Consumer Affairs was
renamed as the Ministry of Consumer Affairs & Public Distribution,
however having the same three departments

 Finally in the new millennium on 17 th July 2000, the then Ministry of

Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution was renamed as the Ministry of
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, with two departments,
namely Department of Food & Public Distribution and Department of
Consumer Affairs, which is continued till date. And we will have many
reasons to celebrate its Diamond Jubilee on 1st December 2017.
Consumer Affairs, Food & Civil Supplies Department in
Andhra Pradesh State

Introductions :

 Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies is the administrative

Department at the Government level. Under this Department there are
four Heads of Departments:

 Commissioner of Civil Supplies;

 Controller, Legal Metrology;
 State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd., and
 AP State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission.

 The Civil Supplies Department was originally only a regulatory

Department. Subsequently, its activities have been diversified to include
procurement of food grains under Minimum Support Price (MSP),
distribution of scheduled commodities (viz. Rice, Wheat Atta, Sugar and
Red gram dal) through Fair Price Shops under the Public Distribution
System at subsidized rates through issue of computerized cards,
consumer affairs, monitoring of prices of essential commodities,
distribution of LPG connections to BPL women (Deepam Scheme),
Enrollment under UID (Aadhaar) etc.,

Vision:

 To see a food secured Andhra Pradesh where all citizens have access
to food grains and other essential commodities, and other related
services.

Mission:

 To ensure availability of all scheduled commodities under PDS as per

the entitlements under the National Food Security Act, 2013 to the
Ration card holders of the state through Public Distribution System;
while ensuring Minimum Support Price to the paddy farmers, controlling
price through market intervention, and reducing the related public
grievances.

Functions:

 Procurement of Paddy, coarse grains like Maize, Jowar, Bajra and

pulses at MSP through the State agencies and FCI under MSP
operations.

 Procurement of rice under mill levy.

 Distribution of Essential Commodities to BPL card holders through ePoS

device cum e-Weighing Scales at Fair Price shops.
 Implementation of Deepam scheme by distribution of LPG connections
for BPL families in the State.

 Monitoring of prices of Essential Commodities and Market Intervention

Operations for controlling the open market prices, wherever necessary.

 Implementation of Consumer Protection Act through State Commission

and District Consumer Fora and other Consumer Welfare Schemes.

 Implementation of Packaged Commodities Rules and MRP and ensuring

correct measures and weights through stamping by Legal Metrology
Department.

 Implementation of various Control Orders entrusted to the Department.

 Administering the affairs of the A.P. State Civil Supplies Corporation

 UIDAI (AADHAAR) Project implementation as Registrar.

 Evolves policy for issue of ration cards, allotment of Deepam

connections to the eligible families.

 Arranges Consumer awareness through Consumer Clubs, Consumer

Voluntary Organisations, Seminars, workshops and World and National
Consumer Rights Days every year.

 Processes the recommendations of the Selection Committee for the

Members of the State Commission and President and Members of the
Dist.Fora and issues Govt. orders.

 Implements the Packaged Commodities Rules and MRP and ensuring

correct measures and weights through verification and stamping by
Legal Metrology Department.

 Executes the enforcement activity under various Control Orders issued

under Essential Commodities Act, 1955 for checking against hoarding,
black marketing, diversions etc. of essential commodities like food
grains, pulses, edible oils, Petroleum Products viz. Kerosene, Diesel,
LPG, Petrol etc. and action under Section 6-A of the Essential
Commodities Act, 1955 .

 Takes measures to ensure that the Departments concerned with various

essential commodities take action to undertake Market Intervention
purchases wherever necessary to make them available to the
consumers at affordable prices in the open market.
Main activities of the Civil Supplies Department :

 MSP (Minimum Support Prices) operations of Paddy;

 Procurement of levy rice;
 Public Distribution of Rice and other essential commodities;
 Implementation of National Food Security Act, 2013
 Enforcement of various control orders issued under the Essential
Commodities Act, 1955 to ensure that there is no hoarding, black
marketing etc.
 Monitoring of prices and taking measures to control them.
 Issue of Deepam connections.

PROCUREMENT

 The Govt. of India have dispensed the levy system and ordered that
State Govt. should not impose any levy on rice from the millers w.e.f. 1st
October, 2015.

 The State Govt. under the De-Centralized Procurement System shall

procure FAQ paddy from the farmers at MSP, custom mill and retain the
resultant rice (CMR) for PDS and other welfare schemes as per the GOI
allocation.

 Payment to the farmers is being made directly to the individual bank

accounts of the farmers through RTGS online transfer within 48 hours.

MSP operations of paddy

 Paddy is predominantly grown in the State – in both the seasons Kharif

and Rabi. Normally, Upto 90% of paddy is purchased by the rice millers
at MSP and above for delivery of levy and utilization of levy free
eligibility.

 The paddy thus purchased by the State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. is
got milled and delivered to the FCI if it is boiled rice and retained by the
State Civil Supplies Corporation if it is raw rice.

 MSP fixed for Paddy:

– Common – Rs.1310 per qtl.
– Grade-A - Rs.1345 per qtl.
Mill levy

 Under Mill Levy, the miller has to deliver 75% of the resultant rice of
paddy milled to the FCI / Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd. at the levy rates
fixed by the Govt. of India and can sell 25% in the open market on
Release Certificates (permits) to be issued by the Collectors.

 Raw rice has to be sold 50% of the 25% levy free eligibility within the
State whereas the boiled rice of 25% levy free eligibility can be sold
anywhere in the Country.
  The raw rice thus procured under mill levy is retained for the PDS in the
State and boiled rice is moved by the FCI to States like Tamilnadu and
Kerala for their PDS.

De-Centralised Procurement

 In order to ensure MSP, timely payment, Self – reliance and increase in

the employment in State etc., APSCSCL commenced Decentralised
Procurement.

Price Monitoring of essential commodities

 Prices of essential commodities including vegetables are being

monitored daily, analyzed and submitted to Government for perusal.
Wherever there are unreasonable increases in the prices, immediate
action is being taken to ensure that they are procured and supplied
under Market Intervention through Rythu Bazars and designated
counters at less than retail open market rates.

 The Price Monitoring Committee constituted under the chairmanship of

Chief Secretary is reviewing the prices of all ECs, its availability,
whenever there is abnormal hike in prices, measures to be taken
through market intervention by Government to control prices and to
ensure availability of commodities at affordable prices.

 Effective vigil is kept on the hoarders, black marketers, and profiteers

and cases are booked against the dealers of Pulses and Edible Oil
who indulge in such activities by seizing the stocks for confiscation
under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and to cancel the license
under the A.P. Scheduled Commodities Dealers (Licensing, Storage &
Regulation) Order 2008.

 Further, All the Collectors and the DG, Vig. and Enforcement Dept.,
have been instructed to activate Price Monitoring Cells in the districts
and to conduct de-hoarding operations regularly.

 Every day prices of essential commodities are being obtained from the
Collectors and the Directorate of Economics, consolidated and a report
submitted to the Government for perusal and necessary directions.

 The system of price monitoring in AP State is detailed below:

 There are four price reporting centres in the state namely, viz.
Vijayawada, Visakhapatnam, Kurnool and Thirupathi. The local
ASOs are collecting the prices of following 22 commonly
consumed ECs prescribed by the GOI and entering online in the
GOI PMC portal every day.
 The prices are for loose product except edible oils for varieties
consumed by common man and are being collected from the
wholesale and retail markets.
  Retail and Whole sale prices of 22 Essential Commodities
collected from three retail markets, average the same and one
popular wholesale market, are collected in the prescribed format,
and furnish the same in the website of Govt. of India on daily
basis for all the seven days in a week.

Measures taken to control the prices

 Millers and the traders in paddy, rice, pulses, edible oilseeds and edible
oils have been brought under the licensing system and stock limits.

 Intensive inspections of mills and traders’ premises are being conducted

to unearth the hoarded stocks of essential commodities which are held
in contravention of stock limits prescribed and to seize them and release
on interim disposal for its availability in the open market within the State
at affordable prices.

 Entire Marketable surplus of Sonamasuri rice is got sold within the State
only without any levy and without any provision for sale outside the
State. These varieties of rice are permitted to be moved to Municipal
Corporation areas without any permits.

 Regular and surprise checks are being conducted on the rice millers and
traders’ premises in the essential commodities to unearth the hoarded
stocks.

 Besides the regular authorized enforcement officials, task forces with the
officials of the Civil Supplies / Revenue, Commercial Taxes, Legal
Metrology and Vigilance & Enforcement have been constituted to verify
the business premises of the millers and dealers to undertake
dehoarding operations and book the cases for violation of the provisions
of the Control Orders.

 An incentive award scheme has been introduced providing an incentive

cash award to the informants who furnish information about hoarding,
black marketing etc. of food grains.
 Group of Ministers has been meeting periodically to review the price
situation of the essential commodities and the measures to be taken to
control the prices including market intervention operations, if any, to be
undertaken.
 A Committee under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary has been
constituted - to review the price rise, availability and intervention from
Government side to control the price rise, to take corrective steps and to
report to Group of Ministers and Government and also to monitor,
discuss prices of milk, vegetables, pulses, edible oils, availability and
supply of fertilizers and seeds to farmers. The Committee is meeting
regularly and reviewing the price situation also taking action for ensuring
availability at affordable prices.
  Organized sale of superfine preferred varieties of rice by rice millers
Rs.30 per kg. through Rythu Bazars, mill points special counters
identified by the Collectors.

 The Civil Supplies Corporation has been advised to purchase preferred

varieties of Sonamasuri, Sambamasuri, BPT etc. at Rs.1500 per quintal
(Rs.155 per quintal more than the MSP of Rs.1345), to encourage more
production of these varieties which are in demand. However, as the
market prices of these varieties of paddy were ruling much above the
incentive price of Rs.1500/ per quintal announced by the State
Government there have been no offer of paddy by the farmers at
Rs.1500/- per quintal to the APSCSCL

 Strengthened the In-House vigilance of the Civil Supplies Department.

The Collectors have been requested to ensure that the enforcement
officials conduct inspections, unearth the hoarded stocks and to book
the cases against the dealers indulging in such malpractices and to
seize the commodities.

 Toll free Telephone Nos. 18004250082 and 1967 have been provided in
the Commissionerate of Civil Supplies to receive the complaints and to
send them through online to the Collectors for enquiry and redressal of
the grievance.

 A Task Force at the State Level has been constituted with the Senior
Officials of the Civil Supplies Department to enquire into the complaints
immediately and take prompt action against the erring dealers.

 A Price Monitoring Cell is functioning in the o/o Commissioner of Civil

Supplies. There are 13 districts and 51 Revenue Divisions in the State.
Prices of the selected commodities are collected from all the 51 centres
of 13 districts of the state.

 Further, for better monitoring prices of key agricultural commodities and

to take preventive measures as and when required to safeguard both
farmer and consumer interests, the Services of M/s Agriwatch, which is
the largest online Agri-commodities consulting and market Intelligence
Company, are also utilized.

Market Intervention-Monitoring Prices of Essential

 Review of prices of selected essential commodities, its availability,

whenever there is abnormal hike in prices, measures to be taken
through market intervention by Government to control prices and to
ensure availability of Commodities at affordable prices.

 Government is taking all possible steps to make available essentials at

reasonable prices to the consumer and also ensuring MSP to farmers.
  The following preventative measures are also ensured to curb black
marketing and de-hoarding:
i) Dealers in pulses, edible oilseeds and edible oils have been
brought under the licensing system and stock limits to prevent
hoarding, artificial scarcity and price rise.
ii) Due to bumper production of Pulses and to in order to enable the
Millers/Dealers purchase more quantity and ensure MSP to
Farmers stock limits to the Millers/Dealers of Pulses is being
enhanced on par with in the neighboring States.
iii) Preferred varieties of rice are allowed for sale within the State and
outside State in 2:1 ratio, without any levy.
iv) Regular and surprise checks are being conducted on the
business premises of traders in the essential commodities to
unearth the hoarded stocks.
v) Besides the regular authorized enforcement officials, task forces
with the officials of the Civil Supplies / Revenue, Commercial
Taxes, Legal Metrology and Vigilance & Enforcement have been
constituted to verify the business premises of millers and dealers
to undertake de-hoarding operations and book the cases for
violation of the provisions of the Control Orders.

PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

State of Andhra Pradesh is the first state in implementing the electronic
modules in PDS, such as, linkage of Aadhaar with ration Card data, allotment
of commodities under e-PDS and distribution of commodities through e-PoS
cum e-weighing devices throughout the state through supply chain
management, enabling end-to-end computerization of the public distribution
system (PDS). Portability was also provided to draw their commodities from
any of the e-PoS enabled FP shops. SMS facility was also provided to the
beneficiaries. Due to these reforms, the state has ensured delivery of essential
commodities to the entitled households as per the scales indicated under the
National Food Security Act, 2013.

Implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013 :

Upto March 2015, Rice was supplied at Re.1 per kg @ 35 kg per month
to the AAY card holders and at 4 kg per person per month upto a maximum of
20 kg per white card.

From April, 2015 onward Government of Andhra Pradesh is distributing

rice as per the entitlement under the National Food Security Act, covering all
the BPL population at Re.1 per kg. Due to which, the requirement of rice has
been increased from April 2015. But Govt. of india’s allocation was unchanged
i.e.,1.86 LMTs per month upto November 2015. Govt. of India have reduced
the allocation upto 1,44,444 MTs of rice per month to the State under the
National Food Security Act, w.e.f. 01.12.2015.
 Govt. of India (GOI) had indicated for the AP that 268.23 Lakh members
including members in 9.08 lakh AAY families are eligible under the NFS Act
under the category of Priority households and AAY families. However, Govt. of
AP is supplying rice covering 407.77 Lakh members under Priority and AAY
households i.e., 9.21 lakh AAY families (24.11 lakh members) and 383.66 lakh
members in Priority House holds / White cards @ 5 kg rice per member. As
such, Govt. of A.P. is providing rice @ Rs.1 per kg to 138 lakh members in
White cards and 0.13 lakh AAY families having 39712 members, more than the
GOI indicated members under NFSA on par with scale and issue price for the
beneficiaries under NFSA.

The following are the consequences on implementation of NFSA :

1. Entitlement was increased from 4 kgs to 5 kgs to each member in
Priority Households / White card.
2. Upper limit of 20 KGs per White card has been omitted.
3. Non-NFSA beneficiaries are also getting rice on par with NFSA
cardholders.
4. Requirement of rice was increased.
5. All card holders (NFSA and Non NFSA) are getting rice @ Rs.1 per kg.
6. Rice allocation by Govt. of India was reduced from 1.86 lakh MTs to 1.44
Lakh MTs.
7. Necessitated the State Govt. to procure rice at a higher cost.

On implementation of NFSA, a quantity of 2.2 lakh MTs of rice is

required per month and thus, there is a shortfall of 78,000 MTs rice per month
towards the Non-NFSA cards. The short fall quantity is being purchased from
Open Market additionally to meet the requirement, incurring an amount of
Rs.32000 per MT towards subsidy.

The AP State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd., a State Government

Undertaking, is in charge of lifting of food grains and procuring under the DCP.
APSCSCltd. is transporting commodities to the Mandal Level Stockiest points
and from there through a route programme at the door steps of the Fair Price
shops through GPS based vehicle tracking system.

Civil Supplies Department manages the Public Distribution System

(PDS) through which subsidized food grains, sugar and kerosene and other
essential commodities are delivered to eligible beneficiaries in rural and urban
areas of Andhra Pradesh State every month. Food grains, mainly rice, wheat,
sugar and kerosene are supplied to the eligible families holding ration cards at
subsidized rates through the fair price shops (FPS) authorized by the
Department, spread all over the state. There are about 1.42 Crore families
holding ration cards and about 29,503 Fair Price Shops in Andhra Pradesh
State.

The Andhra Pradesh State Civil Supplies Corpn. Ltd., is a State Agency
appointed by the State Government for lifting of Rice and Wheat from FCI and
Levy Sugar from Sugar Factories under PDS.
Stage I Transportation:
The transportation of stocks from FCI / Sugar Factories to Mandal Level
Stockist Points of APSCSCLtd. is called as Stage I transportation, which is
being undertaken through the district-wise / Zone-wise transport contractors
appointed for foodgrains and levy sugar respectively.

Stage II Transportation:
The transportation from MLS Points of APSCSCLtd. to the door steps of
the F.P. Shops is called as stage – II transportation, which is being under taken
through the beneficiary vehicles, Corporation vehicles and also Stage-II
contractors appointed by the Dist. Collectors on approval of the rates by
Headquarters.

Other Welfare Schemes:

I) RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS / WELFARE INSTITUTIONS/ RVM Schools RUN

BY VARIOUS GOVERNMENT WELFARE DEPARTMENTS

Government is releasing rice at subsidized price of Rs.100/- per quintal

to meet the requirements of rice of the inmates residing in hostels/residential
schools.

These are run by the Government Welfare Departments. Rice @ 15

kgs. per month per inmate / boarder @ 500 gms. per day up to Xth class and
18 kgs. per month per inmate / boarder @ 600 gms. per day beyond X th class is
being released to Social Welfare, A.P.S.W.R.E.I.S., Tribal Welfare,
A.P.T.W.R.E.I.S., WD & CW Dept., A.P.W.C.F.C. Ltd., A.P.R.E.I.S., B.C.
Welfare, Juvenile Welfare, Disabled Welfare Departments.
The requirement of rice for Government Welfare Hostels/Residential
schools etc., is being met from out of the allocation of rice made by
Government of India at BPL issue price of Rs.565/- per quintal.

II) NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS

Rice is being released to the Non-Governmental Organizations working
for Old Age Homes, Orphanages for Street children, Schools, Hostels for SC /
ST students, Homes for HIV positive patients and their children, Leprosy / TB
patients, etc. @ 15 kgs. per inmate per month @ Rs.9/- per kg. as per the
instructions issued by the Govt, vide GORT No.19,CA,F & CS (CS.I) Dept, dtd:
17.2.2012.

III) WHEAT BASED NUTRITION PROGRAMME:

The Scheme is operated by the WD & CW Department in all districts
except Guntur, Prakasam, Kurnool, Anantapur, Hyderabad and Adilabad and
popularly known as Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) / Anganwadi
Centres (AWCs).
IV) NUTRITION PROGRAMME FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS (NPAG) /
RGSEG-SABLA

The Scheme is operated by the WD & CW Department in

Visakhapatnam, West Godavari, Chittoor, Anantapur, Adilabad and
Mahabubnagar districts and the GOI is releasing rice to WD & CW Dept. and
the same is being re-allotted to the above districts as per the requirement
furnished by the W.D & C.W.D Department for distribution to the identified
beneficiaries at Rs.4/- per kg. The Scheme is renamed as ‘Indiramma
Amrutha Hastham’ w.e.f.1.1.2013

V. Mid Day Meals Scheme:

Government of India introduced the MDMS programme to boost up
Universalities of Primary Education by increasing enrolment, remittance and
attendance of students cooked food is being supplied to the school going
children of Government / Government Aided / Local bodies schools every day
with a minimum content of 300 calories @ 100 gms of rice per child per day for
primary school children and 150 gms per child per day for children studying in
class – VI - X.

Food Corporation of India: The role of FCI is to release Rice as per the total
quantity allotted by the GOI to the District Managers CSC for onward
distribution to the implementing agencies from MLS points through Fair Price
Shops.

Implementing Agencies: The DWACRA / DWCUA / self help groups are

engaged in the cooking under Mid Day Meals. The Head Master / Village
Committee Members supervise the same. The Implementing Agency is
responsible to lift rice from the fair price shops as per allotment issued by MRO,
purchase the other required ingredients, procure cooking vessels and arrange
for cooking of food by its members and supply cooked meal to children,
maintain prescribed registers and furnish monthly reports on implementation of
MDMS.
Tahsildar: The Tahsildars identify the Implementing Agencies (I.A.), issue rice
to as per the certification given by the School Education Committee about the
attendance of children and quantity of Rice utilized and issue ration card to the
I.As.

School Education Department: The School Education Department organizes

inspection of food being supplied through Officials of Food and Nutrition Board
(GOI), Home Science College wherever they are existing. The Headmasters of
the concerned School will maintain a close liaison with the executive committee
and be responsible for certifying the attendance of students who availed MDMS
Programme and supervision of quality of food supplied to children.
State Food Commission
AP State Food Security Rules, 2017 have been issued in G.O.Ms.No.8,
CA, F & CS (CS.I) Dept. dated:18.04.2017 as per NFSA, 2013 norms. (copy
enclosed)

As per Rule 6 of the said Rules, the Joint Collector – II who is not concerned in
delivery of entitlements under the NFSA, 2013 has been designated as District
Grievance Redressal Officer in G.O.Ms.No.166, Revenue (SER.I) Dept.,
dated:16.05.2017.

As an intern measures, the AP State Consumer Disputes Redressal

Commission was designated as State Food Commission till constitution of
State Food Commission vide G.O.Ms.No.16 C.A. F. & C.S. (CS I) Dept.
Dated:06.7.2015, as per the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in WP
No.857/2015 till constitution of State Food Commission.

Constitution of Vigilance Committee

Food Advisory committees constituted at various levels i.e., Ration shop,
ward / village, municipality / Corporation / Mandal, district and state levels are
functioning as Vigilance Committees to perform the functions as prescribed
under Section 29 of the National Food Security Act, 2013

Conduct of Social Audit

In order to conduct periodic Social Audits under Section 28 of NFSA,
2013 on functioning of fair price shops, Targeted Public Distribution System
and other welfare schemes, Guidelines have been issued by the Govt. in Memo
No. 49/CS-I/2017, dated:12.04.2017, CA, F & CS (CS.I) Dept. for effective
conduct of social audit as per section 28 of NFSA, 2013. (copy enclosed).

Society for Social Audit, Accountability and Transparency, Andhra

Pradesh (SSAAT – AP) has been authorized to conduct Social audit on
Functioning of Fair Price Shops under NFSA, 2013 and material has been
given to conduct Social Audit.
Further, after issuing AP State Food Security Rules, 2017 in
G.O.Ms.No.8, CA, F & CS (CS.I) Dept. dated:18.04.2017, State food
Commission was constituted in G.O.Ms.No.6, CA, F & CS (CS.I) Dept.
dated:12.04.2017 for implementation of National Food Security Act, 2013
consisting one Chairperson, 5 members and one Member Secretary.

Accordingly, Chairperson, 5 members and Member Secretary have been

appointed for the AP State Food Commission, in G.O.Ms.No.11, CA, F & CS
(CS.I) Dept. dated:19.07.2017.

****