June 6, 2012

The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution of India has established a Central Grain Analysis Laboratory (CGAL) in Krishi Bhawan to secure food grains quality under PDS system.

Inaugurating the laboratory Prof K. V. Thomas, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said that random periodical check-ups will be carried out by the lab to ensure that food-grains being procured and distributed under PDS are of good quality. The lab will have facilities for physical and chemical analysis of wheat and rice samples collected from procurement centers, FCI stores and Fair Price Shops. He said that the Indian government is very conscious about the quality of PDS foodgrains hence it has directed its technical staff in the field to ensure that at each stage, from procurement to storage and distribution, quality should be maintained.

Prof Thomas said that quality monitoring cells have also been set up at Bangalore, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Lucknow and Pune to inspect food storage depots of FCI, CWC, state government and other procurement storage agencies and fare-price shops. These cells take up the samples of foodgrains to analysis at CGAL, New Delhi. He said that officers of his Ministry have been directed to take up immediate investigations of the complaints relating to quality of foodgrains during procurement, storage and distribution received from NGOs, local representatives, state governments and consumers.

Prof Thomas said he has also requested to the government to set up quality monitoring cell and laboratories at their level also. Noting that all possible supports and training for technical staff would be provided by the Centre to ensure quality food-grains through PDS.

Prof Thomas also launched the upgraded website of Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry. He said the new website has been made more informative and user-friendly, providing useful information like latest allocation of food-grains under various schemes, off take by the states, movements and storage, etc. It also provides daily prices of 22 selected consumer commodities collected from 39 centres across the country and other consumer friendly information.