Formation of Food Commission underway: Secy

Bhubaneswar: A day after the Opposition BJP and Congress threatened to drag the State government to court over irregularities in the implementation of NFSA in Odisha, the State government on Monday said it will complete the process of formation of Food Commission in Odisha soon.

"We are in the process of framing rules for the State Food Commission. After getting requisite approval from the Law department, it will be placed in the Cabinet. A notification to this effect will be issued immediately after it receives cabinet approval,“ Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare secretary Madhusudan Padhi said.

“The members of the Commission will be selected after the government notification,” Padhi stated.

The official clarified that prior to the implementation of NFSA in Odisha in October, the State government, Centre has notified Information Commission as Food Commission in accordance with the mandate of Act. Besides, the project directors (PDs) of all district rural development agencies (DRDAs), have been appointed as district grievance redressal officers (DGROs).

“Though NFSA mandates the formation of Food Commission by respective States, the Act also says that in place of Food Commission, existing Commissions like Human Rights Commission, Information Commission or Women's Commission can also act like the Commission till formation of the former. At district level, DGROs must be appointed to resolve complaints," he said adding the Centre gave permission to roll out NFSA in Odisha only after conditions were fulfilled.

Admitting that complaint redressal system had not started beyond district level, Padhi stated it will begin soon.

“We have not started the process to hear the appeals of DGROs. All the discrepancies in the NFSA beneficiary list are currently being dealt at Block and municipality level,” Padhi said.