Process on to separate Food, Disaster Management divs

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S M Jahangir
The government has sped up the process of separating two divisions under the Ministry of Food and Disaster Management following a recent government decision.
"Necessary steps are on to establish two divisions under the food and disaster management ministry in line with the recent government decision in this connection," a government official said.
The two divisions are: Food, and Disaster Management and Relief, they said, adding that a gazette notification to this effect was published recently.
The two divisions have been created through making some change in the 'Rules of Business, 1996 under an order by President Zillur Rahman in exercise of article 55(6) of the Bangladesh Constitution, the gazette said.
Earlier, the proposal on creation of aforesaid divisions got approval of the cabinet.
The two divisions have come into being nearly four-and-a-half years after the unification of the ministries of food, and relief and disaster management in July 2004.
Following the changes in the Rules of Business, allocation of business and responsibilities have been specified for both the food, and the relief and disaster management divisions.
The main activities and tasks of the newly-created Food Division will be to formulate, review and execute legislation, policies, plans and executive orders and guidelines on the country's overall food system and food policy.
Other activities include establishment of a dependable national food security system, stablisation of food-grains prices, patronisation of food-grains trade in the private sector, maintenance of database on production, accessibility and consumption pattern of food.
"Procurement, storage and movement of food-grains, such as paddy, rice, wheat, maize etc. in order to maintain an adequate public food-grain stocks for national food security as well as for distribution through Public Food Distribution System (PFDS) as price incentive for domestic production and price support for consumers will be, among others, the responsibilities of the food division," an official source said.
Besides, the food division will have to look into the food planning research and monitoring, export and import of foodstuff, rationing and matters concerning food budget, accounts and finance.
However, the major activities of the disaster and relief division will be to formulate, review and execute legislation, policies, plans and standing orders relating to overall disaster risk reduction and emergency response management including relief, rehabilitation and safety-net programmes.
"Among others, maintaining database on recipients of vulnerable group feeding (VGF), vulnerable group development (VGD) and other safety-net management information system will be the major tasks of the disaster and relief division," said the official sources.
Other activities include coordination of all activities relating to disaster management and reduction of disaster risk, construction of small brides/ culverts, multi-purpose disaster, cyclone and flood shelters in order to minimise disaster risks.
Moreover, it will also deal with matters relating to administration and coordination of aids, loans, grants, search and rescue operations, emergency relief and technical assistance in disaster management budget under regional and international cooperation, they said.