STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA), Satish Sharma on Friday conducted surprise inspection of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns in Jammu to take first hand stock of the storage, quality and distribution mechanism of foodgrains meant for public consumption.
During the visit, the Minister inspected various sheds where foodgrains are stored and took stock of the condition of stocks maintained by the FCI.
He specifically directed the authorities to ensure proper segregation of foodgrains, stressing that only high-quality grains should be issued to consumers under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Satish also examined the stock registers and records related to procurement and distribution. He visited the quality testing laboratory within the FCI premises and reviewed the procedures being followed for testing both fresh and stored foodgrains.
Expressing concern, the Minister directed the officers present to strictly adhere to quality control norms and ensure that no substandard or unfit foodgrains are supplied to the people.
He said that the government led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is fully committed to safeguarding the interests of consumers and ensuring food security for every household.
“The priority of the government is to provide people with safe, nutritious and quality foodgrains. Any laxity in storage, handling or distribution will not be tolerated,” the Minister asserted.
He further instructed the officials to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and conduct regular inspections of storage facilities so that the integrity of foodgrains is maintained from procurement to distribution.
Senior officers of the FCI and the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs accompanied the Minister during the inspection.