Question : ADULTERATION IN FOOD ITEMS

(a) whether the instances of adulteration and sale of spurious food items including milk has been reported in the country- during each of the last three years and the current year;

(b) if so, the details thereof indicating the number of cases reported, raids conducted, violation detected, persons penalised for such activities during the said period along with the corrective steps taken by the Government in this regard, State/UT-wise;

(c) whether the Government proposes to strengthen the present legislation enacted in this regard along with the monitoring mechanism put in place to check incidents of adulteration in the country; and

(d) if so, the details thereof indicating the amount spent on such monitoring activities along with the success achieved in controlling adulteration therefrom during the said period?

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRIJAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a) & (b): As per information received from the States/UTs by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, details regarding number of food samples examined, samples found adulterated/misbranded, prosecutions launched and convictions/penalties, for the year 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 (upto 30.9.2014), are at Annexure A to D. Implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 primarily rests with State/UT Governments. Random samples of food items are drawn by the State Food Safety Officers and are sent to the recognised laboratories for analysis. All State Governments have been requested to finalize State wide Action Plan to draw and test samples of milk products at regular intervals.

(c) : Yes.

(d) : The Enforcement machinery in the States and UTs undertake various activities and enforces the provisions of the Act and regulations made thereunder. Details of the amount spent on such activities is not maintained centrally.