Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether Government is aware that many food manufacturers are preparing instant/fast food items without permission which has bearing on public health;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the action being taken by the Government in this regard;
(c) whether Government proposes to frame leglislation to plug loopholes of existing law; and
(d) if so, the reaction of the Government thereto?
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)
(a): Instances of instant/food manufacturers without permission have come to the notice of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). As implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act and regulations thereunder primarily rests with State/UT Governments, the Commissioners of Food Safety have been urged repeatedly to ensure compliance of the provisions of FSS Act and regulations thereunder.
(b): The specific data on action taken against instant/fast food manufactures is not maintained centrally. However, as per information made available by State/UT Governments, the number of food samples found adulterated/misbranded, number of cases launched, number of convictions and penalties during 2014-15 in the country, are as under :-
No. of food samples analysed 74010
No. of food samples found adulterated/misbranded 14599
number of cases launched 10536
number of conviction 1402
number of penalties 2795
(c) & (d): A Committee was constituted by the Government of India to undertake a comprehensive review of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The Committee has submitted its report to the Department of Health and Family Welfare and made recommendations to provide for harsher punishment to any person who, whether by himself or by any other person on his behalf, adds an adulterant to food to render it injurious for human consumption with an inherent potential to cause his death or is likely to cause such harm on his body as would amount to grievous hurt, irrespective of the fact whether it causes actual injury or not.