Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the numbers of food testing laboratories are insufficient and understaffed in the country, thereby hampering food testing and diluting the deterrence against rampant practices of food adulteration;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the action taken by the Government to address this issue?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)
(a) to (c): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has informed that it has recognized and notified a total of 233 National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited food testing laboratories across the country comprising of 214 Primary Food Testing laboratories (including 37 State Food Testing Laboratories), under Section 43(1) of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act) and 19 Referral Laboratories under Section 43(2) of FSS Act, 2006.
FSSAI has implemented a Central Sector Scheme named “Strengthening of Food Testing System in the Country including provision of Mobile Food Testing Laboratories” (SoFTeL) since 2016-2017 under which State food testing labs (SFTLs) are provided funds for upgradation with high end equipments and for establishing microbiology lab. A grant of Rs 314.48 Crore has been released to 29 States/UTs for upgradation of 39 SFTLs.
Further, since 2020-21, FSSAI has provided grants to States for NABL accreditation, high end equipments, basic equipments, certified reference materials, consumables and manpower etc. towards strengthening of food testing infrastructure in States/ UTs.