Sh. G.S. Bali Himachal Minister of Food and Civil Supplies told that the centre has convened meeting of the state food secretaries on 23 rd September while the meeting of the state food ministers has been convened on 24 th September in Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Sh. G.S. Bali apprised the Union Minister that Himachal Pradesh has taken all preparatory steps to launch the National Food Security Act including framing the guidelines for selection of beneficiaries under the act and told that Union government has agreed to provide rations to APL families in Himachal Pradesh who would have been left out of the purview of National food security act.
He requested the union minister to provide liberal financial assistance for state government to develop the food grain storage facilities in the state and also offered land and other infrastructural facilities for developing storage facilities by the central agencies. He also requested financial assistance for computerization of the Public distribution system to check the bogus ration cards and eliminate the pilferage of ration under PDS.
Sh. G.S. Bali requested the union food minister Sh. K.V. Thomas to convene the next meeting of state food ministers in Shimla and offered the hospitality on behalf of the government of Himachal Pradesh. He told that Shimla has vast infrastructural modern facilities to hold national level meetings and hoped that such meeting will also boost the state tourism sector in long run.
Union Minister Sh. K.V. Thomas assured his full support to Himachal Pradesh. He expressed his happiness on the working of Public distribution system in HP and also accepted the invitation to visit the state of Himachal Pradesh in near future
Secretary Food Government of India Sh. Sudhir Kumar, Principal Secretary Sh. K. Sanjaymurthy, Director Food and Civil Supplies Sh. Priyatu Mandal and Managing Director State Civil Supplies Corporation Sh. Amandeep Garg also attended the meeting.
