Question : Food Testing Labs

(a) the number of food testing laboratories that received grants from the Government till date;

(b) the total amount of funds disbursed under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) towards food testing laboratories since 2017;
(c) the number of food testing laboratories not accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories which received grants under PMKSY;
(d) the number of food testing laboratories not yet notified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India which received grants disbursed under PMKSY; and
(e) the manner in which the Ministry recovers unused grants disbursed under PMKSY?

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
(SHRI RAMESWAR TELI)

(a): The Government has approved grants-in-aid to 178 food testing laboratories till date;
(b): A total amount of Rs. 56.29 crore has been disbursed under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) towards food testing laboratories since 2017;
(c): 27 food testing laboratories have not received accreditation by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), which have received grant-in-aid under PMKSY;
(d): 33 food testing laboratories have not been notified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which have received grant-in-aid under PMKSY;
(e): The Ministry recovers unused grants disbursed under PMKSY by taking action to terminate the project following due process. Further, the Ministry takes recourse to legal action to recover the amount by filing civil suit in consultation with Department of Legal Affairs.

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