Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 31: Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo presided over a significant meeting at the Civil Secretariat today, focusing on the operations of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) and the Legal Metrology Department (LMD).
In attendance were Commissioner Secretary, FCS&CA, Zubair Ahmed, Controller of the Legal Metrology Department, Anuradha Gupta, along with other senior officials.
During the meeting, the Chief Secretary praised the efforts of both departments and underscored the necessity for rigorous monitoring to eliminate the functioning of illegal dispensing units. He directed the establishment of a comprehensive database and the execution of capacity-building programs for officers and staff to enhance consumer protection initiatives throughout the Union Territory.
He urged the concerned departments to conduct regular inspections of all businesses dispensing consumer goods, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding consumer interests to ensure the provision of quality products and services at fair prices.
Dulloo also called for making services more accessible to the public, instructing the FCS&CA Department to guarantee timely delivery of food grains to residents in remote locations. He reviewed the distribution of rations and their availability during the winter months, directing that every ration card holder in these areas receives rations according to their entitlements.
Zubair Ahmed updated the Chief Secretary on key activities of the department, including current coverage under the Public Distribution System (PDS), ongoing reforms, and efforts to enhance system reliability. He provided insights into essential focus areas such as winter stocking of crucial commodities, the procurement of paddy during the Kharif Marketing Season (KMS), and other physical and financial accomplishments.
The Controller of the Legal Metrology Department shared the department’s goals and operations. She highlighted that all department services are now accessible online via the J&K Single Window System and comply with the J&K Public Services Guarantee Act of 2011.
The department has notably introduced an auto-calculation feature for fee assessments on its portal, along with an auto-renewal option for licenses, enhancing user-friendliness.
The Controller also pointed out the department’s consumer outreach efforts, revealing that 269 service camps have been held in remote areas during the current fiscal year. The LMD ranks third in the number of online applications received and resolved, with an average processing duration of 11 days. Beyond service delivery, the department actively fosters consumer awareness through camps and social media initiatives.
To protect consumer rights, the department consistently carries out special enforcement drives. Recently, it has launched campaigns targeting non-standard helmets and unauthorized petrol pumps in the Kashmir Valley.
