The Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) has formally dissolved the Food and Nutrition Commission. The commission, which provided technical and logistical support to community nutrition programmes, has been shut down as part of the government’s plan to streamline various organisations. The Food and Nutrition Commission was the technical wing of the ministry and was headquartered in Delhi.
According to a gazette notification issued, the WCD Ministry has officially dissolved the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB). This board has a wide network including his four regional offices and quality control laboratories in Faridabad, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, and is responsible for providing technical and logistical support to local nutrition programmes. I was there.
The decision to disband the Food and Nutrition Committee was made following a cabinet meeting on April 6 last year. The move is based on the recommendations of the November 2020 Chief Economic Advisor’s report on streamlining government agencies.
At the meeting, the Cabinet approved the Women and Child Development Ministry’s proposal to streamline and close down the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB), National Social Welfare Board and Central Social Welfare Board. The FNB originally came under the Ministry of Agriculture but was transferred to the Women and Child Development Ministry in 1993.
In addition to regional offices and quality control laboratories, the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) maintains 43 Community Food and Nutrition Extension Units (CFNEUs) across the country, which provide technical and logistical support to community nutrition programs. I’ve been doing it. The decision to dissolve FNB includes measures affecting its employees and assets.
According to the notification, 33 out of 147 FNB employees chose voluntary retirement under the special voluntary retirement system. Seven technical staff of Group ‘A’ have been redeployed to the National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development and 61 technical staff of Group ‘B’ and Group ‘C’ have been posted as deemed representatives of Food Corporation of India (FCI). Ta.
According to the notification, 46 non-technical staff have been transferred to surplus cells in the WCD ministry. Besides, three CFNEUs at Mumbai, Jaipur and Bhubaneswar have been transferred to the Directorate General of Estate under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
The notice stated that four properties in Faridabad, Chennai, Navi Mumbai and Kolkata are currently in the process of being transferred. It further stated that the assets of FNB’s Central Food Testing Laboratory in Faridabad and Regional Food Testing Laboratory in Chennai will be transferred to the FCI or the Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPB).
The regional food testing laboratories in Navi Mumbai and West Bengal, which are currently on rent, will be leased out to FCI and DFPB after obtaining necessary permissions from the states of Maharashtra and West Bengal.
All laboratories have been transferred to FCI on an “as is” basis, the notification said. The closure of FNB’s activities was officially announced through a Government Gazette notification dated June 16, 2021. The official dissolution was approved on November 30th last year. As a result, FNB ceased operations on December 1st last year.
Image source: WION News
