Cabinet gives more teeth to food panel

SHILLONG: The state Cabinet has approved additional rules to empower the state food commission.
The commission was formed by the government as per the National Food Security Act, 2013, with an aim to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Food Security Act and inquire into the violations of entitlement of foodgrain as per the Act.
The panel will advise the state government, its agencies, autonomous bodies as well as non-governmental organisations and those involved in delivery of relevant services for effective implementation of food and nutrition schemes and to enable individuals to fully access their entitlements specified in the Act.
The intention of the government is to make the commission effective so that this will act as a platform to address consumers’ grievances.
“By approving additional rules, we have given more powers and responsibilities to the commission,” Chief Minister Mukul Sangma told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.
According to the chief minister, under the new rules, space is provided for citizens to appeal.
Officers’ training period
The Cabinet also reduced the training period of the officers from three months to 7-10 days because sending officers for three months will be difficult, said the chief minister.
Online lottery rules
The Cabinet has approved the proposal to repeal the Meghalaya State Computerised Online Lottery Rules, 2002.
The Centre had notified the provisions of the Lottery (Regulations) Rules, 2010, and the state government in 2002 had also notified the Meghalaya State Computerised Online Lottery Rules.
Since the central rules provide for organising both paper and online lottery and the state government adopted the central rules, the state rules were repealed, Sangma said.
Weighbridges
The Cabinet has added provisions in the existing rule to enable weighing of materials at the weighbridges by the officers without any restrictions.