The Department of Food and Civil Supplies has notified the guidelines for the implementation of the National Food Security Act, 2013 under the Tide Over allocation, along with modalities for implementing the General Household (GHH) scheme. The notification has come into effect immediately.
Under the guidelines, the distribution of food grains to General Household families will be carried out by the respective district officers, who will allocate and release food grains to selected Fair Price Shops or Public Distribution Centres for distribution to identified beneficiaries. District officers are required to submit monthly utilisation certificates, countersigned by the respective deputy commissioners, to the directorate in the prescribed format.
For buffer stock distribution, deputy commissioners will issue sub allocations in accordance with the guidelines. The stockist cum handling agents will release the buffer stock to beneficiaries and submit utilisation certificates through the district civil supply offices, duly countersigned by the deputy commissioners, along with beneficiary lists. A portion of the buffer stock will be reserved each month at the discretion of the Director, Food and Civil Supplies, to meet exigencies.
In rural areas, distribution will be carried out through village council Fair Price Shops, while in urban areas, district officers will identify Fair Price Shops from existing outlets based on the number of GHH cardholders, subject to approval by the directorate.
The department has also notified provisions for fixation of godown rates and payment modalities. Godown rates will be fixed by the department with government approval, while end retail prices at Fair Price Shops will be fixed by district officers in consultation with administrative officers, based on the godown issue price. The rates will be revised in line with prevailing central rates.