FAQs-FOOD COMMISSION

Q: What is NFSA Act?

Ans: The National Food Security Act, 2013 (Act 20 of 2013) has been enacted for food and nutritional security in human life cycle approach, by ensuring access to adequate quantity of quality food at affordable prices to people to live a life of dignity and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto(from preamble to the National Food Security Act 2013). The Act provides a framework for supply of entitled quantity of food gains as Specified in schedule-II of the Act. This entitled Supply is called “Food Security” in the Act. The Act provides for mechanism for procurement and supply of food grains at the end of dealers and fair price shops (FPS) and further off take of entitled food grains there from. It also provides for delivery of meals from Aanganwadis and schools to eligible children and also supplementary nutrition to pregnant women and lactating mothers, from Aanganwadis.

Q: What is West Bengal State Food Commission?

Ans: The West Bengal State Food Commission was constituted by the Government of West Bengal vide notification 3658-F.S. dated 21.11.2017 of Food & Supply Department, Government of West Bengal which reads : “ In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section(1) of section 16 of the National Food Security Act 2013(20 of 2013)(hereinafter referred to as the said Act),the Governor is pleased hereby to constitute, with an immediate effect, the West Bengal State Food Commission with its headquarters at Kolkata, to exercise the powers conferred on, and to perform the functions assigned to, it under the said Act.”

Q: Which Department deals with the matter

Ans: FOOD & SUPPLY DEPTT., Government of West Bengal

Which Act governs the State Food Commission?

The National Food Security Act 2013.

What does the Food Commission do?

It is the onus of the State Food Commission to enquire into complaints, hear appeals against District Grievance Redressal Officers and advice the State Government and its agencies in the matter of effective implementation of the National Food Security Act ,2013.

Which are the departments that are generally concerned in the matter of implementation of food security in the State?

a)The Department of Food and Supplies, W.B.: Chiefly responsible for the distribution of free and susidized food grains to the beneficiaries through the Public Distribution System and also through some other Departments.

b)The Department of Women, Child Development & Social Welfare, W.B.; The Department provides nutritional support to pregnant women and lactating mothers, and free meals to children from 6 months to six years, including malnourished children, through Anganwadi Centres.

c)The Department of Health &Family Welfare, W.B.; | Provides medicinal support and also cash in lieu of medicinal and nutritional support to registered pregnant women and lactating mothers,

d)The Department of School Education, W.B. :_ Ensures nutritional support in the form of midday meals to children up to age of fourteen years through schools run by local bodies, Government and Government Aided Schools

e)The Department of Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education : : Ensures nutritional support in the form of midday meals to students of the Madrasahs ,up to the age of fourteen years .

How are grievances in the matter of food security addressed by the Commission?

The Commission either suo motto , or on receipt of complaint may inquire into violations of entitlements provided under Chapter II of the NFSA;
2. The Commission may also hear appeals against orders of the District Grievance

Which sections of the NFSA provide for redressal of grievances. ?

Section 14 of NFSA speaks of internal grievance redressal mechanism of the Department of Food& Supplies, Internal grievances redressal mechanism has already been put in place. Call Centre & Help Desk have been set up in this regard. The Toll free numbers of the Food & Supplies Department are 1967 & 1800 345 9505. In addition, grievances can also be lodged through portal, Khadyasathi-Amar Ration App and Whatsapp chatbox. An officer of the level of an Additional District Magistrate has been designated as the District Grievances Redressal Officer (DGRO) for all the districts of WB.
Section 15 of NFSA lays down provision of District Grievances Redressal Officer (DGRO)
An Addl. District Magistrate from each district has been designated as District Grievances Redressal Officer (DGRO) while an officer other than the Municipal Commissioner is 10 be appointed as the DGRO of Kolkata district under section 14 of the KMC Act. In case of the Kolkata Municipal corporation the Municipal Commissioner is the Chairman of the District Level Vigilance Committee. The District Magistrate of the respective district is the Chairman of the District Level Vigilance Committee in case of districts other than Kolkata