Schemes/Complaints

Entitlements under the National Food Security Act, 2013

The information containted in the schemes below are based on the materials provided by the concerned Departments in reply to the questionnaires circulated to them, and discussions held in meetings with their officials.

 

Filing of Complaints:

  • Toll Free Call Centre – No 1967
  • Website – www.megpgrams.gov.in
  • File complaint in writing, telephone or online to District Grievance Redressal Officers (DGRO) or Assistant Grievance Redressal Officers (AGRO)
  • Complaint to be filed in Form I.Receipt to be issued(See Acts/Rules Food Security Rules 2018-Page -17)
  • Complaint Box to be placed in office of all Districts and Sub Divisional Supply Officers, School Education Officers and District Social Welfare Officers and District Programme Officers
  • District Grievance Redressal Officers (DGRO) and Assistant Grievance Redressal Officers(AGRO):-
    • As per Rule 8 of the “Meghalaya Food Security Rules, 2018”(see Act/Rules), the State Government shall from time to time identify Additional Deputy Commissioners or Extra Assistant Commissioners as District Grievance Redressal Officers  (DGRO) in each District and Sub Division.
    • Apart from the DGRO, these shall be an Assistant Grievance Redressal Officer(AGRO) in each District and Subdivision to assist the GRO in the effective implementation of various schemes under PDS. The senior most Officer of the Supply Department is the AGRO.
    • Under Rule 8(4), the Director of School Education and Literacy is the State Nodal Officer for the Mid Day Meal Scheme, and the District School Education Officer (DSEO) and SDSEO are the AGRO to assist the DGRO.
    • Under Rule 8(5), for the Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) and IGMSY, the Programme Officer shall be the State Nodal Officer, and the DSWO and District Programme Officer (DPO) are the AGRO to assist the GRO.
    • The  roles and responsibilities of the AGRO are as follows:

      (a) To accept and address complaints/queries from public, Call Centre (toll free number 1967), in writing, in person, via email, phone, fax, post, etc;

      (b) To monitor and redress complaints lodged and address it within the timeline as per Rule;

      (c) To submit a quarterly report to the GRO and Directorate informing the complaints received during the period, nature of complaints, number of complaints redressed, number of complaints pending and note/suggestion;

      (d) To comply and conduct the duties as per the provision of the Act;

      (e) Effective implementation of Social Audit in the District/Subdivision and to send the information as required to the Nodal Agency for conducting the Social Audit;

      (f) Regularly send the monthly Utilisation Certificate of all the schemes to the Directorate

      Duties of Nodal Officer for implementation of the Public Distribution System:
    1. As per Rule 10, the senior most Supply Officer of a District and Sub Division is the Nodal Officer to oversee the effective implementation of PDS. The duties of the Nodal Officer are to :-
    2. Verify, at the end of every month the status of supply of food grains to the entitled persons covered as per the entitlement under the Act;
    3. Record in writing, the reasons for non-supply of entitled quantity of food grains to any entitled person;
    4. Pay the food security allowance to the entitled person in cases where entitled quantity of food grains has not been supplied due to non-availability of food grains;
    5. Open bank account within one month from the date of initial payment of the food security  allowance;
    6. Register complaints with the DGRO or AGRO forthwith where food grains have not been supplied;
    7. Check and take action on duplicate or bogus ration cards and submit an action taken report to the Supply Director immediately;
    8. Act as Nodal Officer for implementing the Act on behalf of the District or Subdivision;
    9. Oversee allotment including online allocation of foodgrain on monthly basis;
    10. Liaise with Grievance Redressal Officer or Assistant Grievance Redressal Officer in addressing complaints or queries;
    11. Manage, train and supervise Data Entry Operators or Staffs dealing with online allocation; and
    12. Coordinate with relevant stakeholders for cases like I.T. maintenance and technical support for smooth implementation of the Act;
    13. Supervise the effective implementation of Social Audit in the District or Subdivision and to send the information as required to the Nodal Agency for conducting the Social Audit;
    14. Regularly send the monthly Utilisation Certificate of all the schemes under PDS to the Directorate.

      As per Rule 11, the District Grievance Redressal Officer (DGRO) shall notify the days and time for receiving complaints under the Act. Apart from AGRO, the DGRO may also nominate an appropriate officer or staff to receive complaints or grievances on his behalf. Complaints may be filed by the beneficiary, or persons on behalf of the beneficiary, to the DGRO or AGRO concerned.

    • Enquiries by the GRO shall be completed within sixty days. After enquiry, the GRO shall submit a report to the State Food Commission..

      As per Rule 12, the AGRO and Nodal Officer shall be responsible to ensure the timely disposal of complaints in his District/Subdivision. If the complaint cannot be disposed, the AGRO and Nodal Officer shall send a report in writing with reasons to the GRO by the end of the calendar month.

    Vigilance Committees

    • Under Rule 13, there shall consist Vigilance committees at different levels with the following functions:-
    • Regularly supervise the implementation of all schemes under the Act,
    • Inform Grievance Redressal Officer, in writing, of any violation of the provisions of the Act,
    • Inform the GRO, in writing, of any malpractice or misappropriation of funds,
    • Hold meetings on quarterly basis
    • The State Level Vigilance  Committee is chaired by the Minister in charge, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs, the District Level Committee by the Deputy Commissioner, the Block Level Committee by the Sub Divisional Officer (s) and the Fair Price Shop Level Committee by the Local Headman or Nokma. The Vigilance Committees are to send quarterly reports to the Government of India/Deputy Commissioners.

  • Social Audit:

  • Under Sec 28 of the National Food Security Act, 2013, periodic social audit shall be conducted on the functioning of fair price shop, TPDS and other welfare schemes and publicise its findings and take necessary action etc.
  • “ The Meghalaya Community Participation and Public Services Social Audit Act, 2017” lays down the manner in which social audit is to be conducted. A State Social Audit Council shall discharge its functions  assisted by the Meghalaya Society for Social Audit and Transparency. The Deputy Commissioners are the District Social Audit Co ordinator, and his functions are laid down in Sec 9.(See Act and Rules – Social Audit Act, 2017).
 
List of District Grievance Redressal Officers/AGROs

Appeals:

  • As per Sec 15(6) of the National Food Security Acts 2013, any complainant or Officer/Authority against whom any order has been passed by the DGRO ,who is not satisfied with the redhresal of grievances may file an appeal against such order before the State Food Commission.
  • Memorandum of Appeal to be filed with the State Food Commissioner against the orders of the DGRO within thirty days
  • MOA to be filed in triplicate
  • Memorandum of Appeal must be heard and disposed within sixty days