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The Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, officially launched the Food Corporation of India's Grievance Redressal Portal specifically designed for rice millers. This initiative is expected to enhance both transparency and accountability when it comes to resolving the grievances faced by the rice milling industry.
Minister Joshi emphasized the importance of establishing a robust grievance redressal system, putting it at the top of the ministry's agenda. The newly launched app provides rice millers a direct channel to file complaints, promising swift responses with a dedicated team investigating and recommending resolutions within three days. Should millers find the resolutions unsatisfactory, the issues would be escalated to senior officials for further deliberation.
The minister noted a firm commitment to addressing grievances transparently and expediently, with most issues anticipated to be resolved within seven days. Reflecting the priorities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who routinely inquires about grievance mechanisms, the ministry aims to make the process more farmer-friendly. Additionally, official statements confirmed ongoing support for farmers, especially regarding rice procurement.
Joshi revealed that rice lifting had reached a target of 4.5 lakh metric tons, with expectations of crossing 5 lakh metric tons soon. Sanjiv Chopra, Secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution, highlighted FCI's annual procurement rate of around 550 lakh metric tons. To ensure effective app responses, a nodal officer or quick-response team will be randomly assigned to every case, ensuring timely and on-the-ground inquiries.
Advanced geofencing technology will be utilized to track mobile teams' locations, facilitating efficient grievance handling. In instances where discontent persists among rice millers, higher-ranked officials will step in to resolve the issues.
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