Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (India)

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The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution is divided into Department of Food and Public Distribution and Department of Consumer Affairs. The Ministry is headed by a Minister of Cabinet rank. The present incumbent is Shri. Sharad Pawar. Minister of State Shri. Akhilesh Prasad heads Department of Food and Public Distribution and Shri.Taslimuddin heads Department of Consumer Affairs.

1 Department of Food and Public Distribution
2 Public Distribuiton System
3 Department of Consumer Affairs
4 Functions and Responsibilities
5 References

[edit] Department of Food and Public Distribution

The Department of Public Distribution is charged with the prime responsibility of the management of the food economy of the country.

The objectives of the Department are to ensure.

Remunerative rates for our farmers
The supply of food grains at reasonable prices to the consumers through the public distribution system

[edit] Public Distribuiton System

Public Distribution System is the distribution of essential commodities to large number of people on a recurring basis. The major commodities that distributed

Wheat
Rice
Sugar
Kerosene

PDS is a major instrument to ensure food security to public at affordable prices and eradication of poverty and is intended to serve as a safety net for the poor whose number is more than 330 million and are nutritionally at risk. PDS with a network of about 478,000 Fair Price Shops (FPS) is perhaps the largest distribution network of its type in the world. PDS is operated under the responsibility of Union Government and State Governments. The Central Government has taken the responsibility for procurement, storage, transportation and bulk allocation of foodgrains, etc. The responsibility for distributing the same to the consumers through the network of Fair Price Shops (FPSs) rests with the State Governments. The operational responsibilities including allocation within the State, identification of families below poverty line, issue of ration cards, supervision and monitoring the functioning of FPSs rest with the State Governments.

[edit] Department of Consumer Affairs

Department of Consumer affairs administers the policies for Consumer Cooperatives, Monitoring Prices, availability of essential commodities, Consumer Movement in the country and Controlling of statutory bodies like Bureau of Indian Standards(BIS) and Weights and Measures.

[edit] Functions and Responsibilities

The Department is entrusted with the following responsibilities:-

Internal Trade
Inter-State Trade
Control of Futures Trading
The Essential Commodities Act, 1955
Prevention of Black-marketing and Maintenance of Supply of Essential Commodities Act, 1980
Regulation of Packaged Commodities
Training in Legal Metrology
Emblems and Names
Standards of Weights and Measures
The Bureau of Indian Standards
Consumer Cooperatives
Forward Markets Commission, Mumbai.
Monitoring of Prices and Availability of essential commodities
The Consumer Protection Act, 1986
Consumer Welfare Fund