Directorate of District Distribution, Procurement & Supply:


Functions

The Directorate of District Distribution, Procurement and Supply is the main executive wing of the Food & Supplies Department for discharging the twin functions of assisting the Department in formulating policies on food matters, viz. distribution and supply of food grains & procurement operation on one hand and execution of policies of the Department on the other. Operation of PDS in the entire State, except in the areas covered by the Directorate of Rationing is maintained by this Directorate. It administers the West Bengal Public Distribution System (Maintenance & Control) Order, 2013 and caters to the 80-85 % of the total population of the state. Beneficiaries are catered through the network of Modified Ration Distributors and Fair Price Shop Dealers. Rice, Wheat/Fortified Atta, Sugar, and other articles of daily use are distributed through the Fair Price Shops as per the scale and subsidized price fixed by the Government.

Main functions of the Directorate

  • Implementation of the policies of the Government regarding food matters including issue of ration cards.
  • Monitoring of the operation of rice and wheat procurement which includes assisting the Department in fixing district-wise targets of the aforesaid commodities.
  • Decision making and logistics management in regard to transfer of the stock of procured rice from surplus districts to deficit districts.
  • Sub-allocation of rice, wheat and other essential commodities viz. soap, tea-leaf etc. under Production cum Distribution Scheme to the districts.
  • Monitoring of distribution of essential commodities through the network of fair price shops under NFSA and RKSY.
  • Management of computerized godown operations.

The major functions of the District controller under this Directorate are

  • The District Controller of Food & Supplies is the Principal Officer of the Food & Supplies Department in the district.
  • He/she is in overall charge of supervision of the Public Distribution System in the District.
  • He/she is entrusted with the monitoring of the functioning of offices of the Sub-Divisional Controllers of Food & Supplies in the district.
  • He/she is the stock holding authority of rice and wheat meant for public distribution system in the district.
  • He/she is responsible for operation of paddy and rice procurement in the district.
  • He ensures availability of the stocks of food commodities to M.R. Distributors/F.P.S. Dealers.
  • He/she makes arrangement for scientific storage of food-grains along with its prophylactic treatment in the Government Food Depots and other storage facilities in the district.
  • He/she maintains accounts of purchase and sale of food grains and sending periodical statement of accounts to the Director of Finance.
  • He/she compiles all reports and returns regarding execution of various works in the district.
  • He/she maintains liaison with the district administration on behalf of the Department.
  • He/she is the Licensing Authority of the M.R. Distributors.
  • He/she makes arrangement for lifting of PDS commodities from FCI through MR Distributors for Mid Day Meal Scheme.
  • He/she is the appointing authority of Lower Division Clerk and Group-D staff.

The major functions of the Sub-divisional Controller under this Directorate are

  • He/She is responsible for distribution of PDS commodities to the ration card holders under NFSA and RKSY in the prescribed scale and rate approved by the Department in the Sub-Division.
  • He/She is the stock holding authority of rice and wheat meant for public distribution system in the Sub-Division.
  • He/She is the Licensing Authority of F.P.S. Dealers.
  • He/She is the issuing authority of Ration cards.
  • He/She is entrusted with the monitoring and supervision of procurement and godown operations.

Area of Operation

Entire state except in the areas as mentioned in the West Bengal Urban Public Distribution System (Maintenance and Control) Order, 2013.