The Central Vigilance Committee, headed by former Supreme Court Judge D.P. Wadhwa, will tour the State from March 14 to 21 to study the functioning of the public distribution system and submit its report to the Centre. The committee will hold public hearing of consumers and meet representatives of dealers' associations, NGOs, women self-help groups and transporters in Chennai, Cuddalore, Tiruchi and Madurai districts.
It will hold discussions with District Collectors, District Supply Officers and officials of the Food Corporation of India and inspect files pertaining to minutes of vigilance committees for the last five years, identification of BPL families for issue of ration cards, complaint mechanism/enforcement mechanism and award of tenders for transportation of food grains etc.
The members will make surprise inspection of fair price shops and interact with cardholders.
The Committee was appointed by the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution System as directed by the Supreme Court to look into maladies affecting Public Distribution System and suggest remedial measures. Accompanied by a legal team, it had toured Delhi, Uttrakhand, Jharkhand, Orissa and Karnataka.
