Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution

Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution has two Departments, namely, the Department of Food and Public Distribution and the Department of Consumer Affairs.

The Department of Consumer Affairs under Ministry of Food and Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution is responsible for the formulation of policies for Monitoring Prices, availability of essential commodities, Consumer Movement in the country and Controlling of statutory bodies like Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS)- External website that opens in a new window and Weights and Measures. The Department is entrusted with the following works:
• Internal Trade
• Inter-State Trade: The Spirituous Preparations (Inter-State Trade and Commerce) Control Act, 1955 (39 of 1955).
• Control of Futures Trading: the Forward Contracts (Regulations) Act, 1952 (74 of 1952).
• The Essential Commodities Act, 1955(External website that opens in a new window) (10 of 1955) (Supply Prices, and Distribution of Essential Commodities not dealt with specifically by any other Ministry/Department).
• Prevention of Black-marketing and Maintenance of Supply of Essential Commodities Act, 1980 (7 of 1980). Persons subjected to detention there under.
• Regulation of Packaged Commodities.
• Training in Legal Metrology.
• Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1952 (12 of 1952).
• Standards of Weights and Measures. The Standards of Weights and Measures Act, 1976 (60 of 1976).
• The Bureau of Indian Standards Act, 1986(External website that opens in a new window) (63 of 1986).
• Consumer Cooperatives.
• All attached or subordinate offices or other organizations concerned with any of the subject specified in this list including Forward Markets Commission, Mumbai.
• Monitoring of Prices and Availability of essential commodities.
• The Consumer Protection Act, 1986(External website that opens in a new window) (68 of 1986).
• Consumer Welfare Fund. (CWF)

The Department of Public Distribution is charged with the prime responsibility of the management of the food economy of the country. The twin objectives of the Department are to ensure - Remunerate rates for our farmers and the supply of food grains at reasonable prices to the consumers through the public distribution system. The Department is concerned with the formulation of policies concerning the food grains sector - procurement, storage, movement and distribution. The Department implements the scheme of minimum support price to the producers of wheat, paddy and coarse grains and the distribution of food grains from the Central Pool. A close watch is kept on the stock and price levels of food grains and efforts are made to ensure their adequate availability at reasonable prices in different parts of the country.

Main activities
• Formulation and implementation of national policies on procurement, movement, storage and distribution of wheat, rice and coarse grains.
• Imports and export of wheat, rice and coarse grains.
• Policy and planning for Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS).
• Buffer stocking policy and matters relating to food security.
• Quality control of wheat, rice and coarse grains procured, stored and distributed by various public agencies in the country.
• Storage facilities for the maintenance of central reserves of wheat, rice and coarse grains.
• Research and dissemination of the techniques of scientific storage of wheat, rice and coarse grains.