Question : Regulation under Food Safety and Standards Act

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has notified all regulations as required by the Food Safety and Standards Act, if so, the details thereof and if not the reasons therefor along with the time by which the said regulations is likely to be notified;

(b) whether the Government is aware that majority of Food Business Operators have license despite incomplete documentation;

(c) if so, whether the Government has taken steps to review, cancel or reissue these licenses and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government is aware that majority of State Food Laboratories (SFL) are not accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories; and

(e) if so, whether the Government has taken steps to accredit these SFLs, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a): Government has notified all major regulations and guidelines required in implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act , 2006 which are detailed at Annexure.

(b) & (c): The Food Business Operators, while applying for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) license are required to submit certain mandatory documents as prescribed under Annexure-2 of Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011 as applicable to their Kind of Business(es). The Licensing Authorities responsible for issuance of State/Central License issuelicense after verification of the documents submitted by the Food Business Operators.

(d) & (e): Yes. A Central Sector Scheme for “Strengthening of Food Testing System in the Country Including Provision of Mobile Food Testing Labs” has been rolled out by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) with an outlay of Rs. 481.95 Crore for the period 2016-17 to 2018-19. One of the components of the Scheme is Capacity Building of Food Testing Laboratories so as to ensure that all the State Food Testing laboratories attain NABL accreditation and bring them at par with international standards. So far, 8 Capacity Building Programs have been organised in different locations so as to cover all State Food Testing Laboratories in which 264 laboratory personnel have participated. A panel of experts has also been constituted and shared with States/UTs to help them about NABL accreditation process. This has raised the total number of NABL accredited State Food Testing Laboratories from 8 to 16.