PIB News Update | The Fifth National Consultation Meeting of State Ministers of Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection will be held on 3rd September 2019. The event is significant in the context of the New Consumer Protection Act, 2019 notified recently. The CPA, 2019 proposes to establish a Central Consumer Protection Authority to deal with Unfair trade practices besides paving the way for digitalization of Consumer Commissions, enabling e-filing of complaints, Mediation, Product liability law and much simplified procedures. The Model Rules approved by Supreme Court to bring in uniformity in service conditions of Consumer Commission Presidents and Members shall bring in significant changes in the effective functioning of these Commissions for delivery of consumer justice.
To enable coordinated action to discuss these issues, the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has called this meeting of all State Food Ministers on 3rd September 2019 at New Delhi. The event will be a day long affair with contribution by Ministers and Officials of Agriculture, Food and Public Distribution, Consumer Affairs, Health &Family Welfare, Industry & Commerce as well as Chemicals &Fertilizers.
The Conference will have discussions on a plethora of issues. Significant among them is the new pilot scheme to promote nutrition security in the country, on Fortification of Rice & its Distribution through the “Public Distribution System” with an outlay of `. 147.61 crores for a period of 3 years beginning 2019-20. The Pilot Scheme would be funded by Government of India in the ratio of 90:10 for North Eastern, Hilly and Island States and 75:25 for other States.
High on the agenda of the meeting will be off-take from buffer stock of Pulses and Onion by the States for effective market intervention in the lean season. As on 11.07.2019, the available stock of pulses in PSF buffer is around 14 LMT. States have been tasked to meet their requirement of pulses for various welfare schemes – Mid-day meal, anganwadi scheme, hospitals, Hostels. A discussion will be held on the measures taken by States on the action points decided in the last meeting held in May 2018 to check unreasonable increase in prices of some food items, especially, pulses, edible oils and sugar and prevent hoarding and black-marketing. The meeting will also review action taken on the decisions of the last meeting of the State Food Ministers and prepare a fresh action plan.
Keeping the prices of all essential food items under control and fully digitizing public distribution has been a priority of the Government. With National Food Security already in place, the focus is now on reforms of the PDS sector and Aadhaar seeding of Ration cards. In the last year Government acting in coordination with States was able to keep prices of Pulses and Sugar under check.
Government is keeping a close watch on trends of prices of essential food items as it affects all, especially the poor and vulnerable sections of the society. The Price Monitoring Cell of the Consumer Affairs Department is monitoring the prices of selected food items as well as the structural and other constraints affecting their availability, and ensuring timely intervention for improving the market availability and thereby moderating prices. The Price Monitoring Cell (PMC) is collecting wholesale and retail prices of 22 essential commodities on a daily basis from selected 100 centres across the country. The prices compiled by PMC are used at the highest levels of decision making in Government for regularly reviewing the overall situation including commodity-specific trends for taking appropriate decisions including market-intervention, if required.
In the National Consultation Meeting of Ministers in-charge of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs held on 21st May 2018, it was decided that an Action Plan be prepared for implementation by the States/UTs to keep the prices of essential food items at reasonable level, especially during the festive season (July to December). The meeting may deliberate on the actions taken by other States/UTs and prepare a fresh action plan including issues like imposition of stock limits on Onion and Edible oils, Sugar and setting up Price Stabilization Funds by the States.
The Conference will also see discussion on issues related to Consumer protection such as implementation of Legal Metrology Act & Rules, strengthening of consumer Fora and State Consumer Helplines, Consumer Welfare Fund administration, start of inter-state portability under one-nation one-ration card system, EPOS availability in ration shops and aadhaar seeding of Ration Cards etc. Also the meeting will discuss issues relating to action taken by States under delegation of Powers under the EC Act and creation of Price Stabilization Fund by the States for effective market intervention.
Steps have been taken to introduce Mandatory Hallmarking of Gold Jewellery and a Quality Control Order has been prepared and uploaded on the website of the Department of Consumer Affairs.
Doubling farmer’s income by 2022 is one of the priority objective of the Government. For achieving this objective, significant step up in investment in the farm sector is required. The Essential Commodities Act, 1955, considered as one of the factors adversely affecting investment in the farm sector and in the supply-chain” has already been liberalized through the Central Order of 29th September 2016.
A Contract Farming Order of 6th August 2019 exempts any agricultural produce by a contract farming purchaser from stock limit subject to overall ceiling of quantity registered with the State. exempting the purchase of any agricultural produce by a contract farming purchaser from stock limit subject to overall ceiling of quantity registered with the State Steps have also been initiated to rationalize punishment and penalties under the Essential Commodities Act.
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