Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) the details of food testing laboratories in the country, State/UT-wise;
(b) the number of laboratories set up/ proposed to be set up to ensure food quality during the last three years, State/UT-wise especially in Uttar Pradesh; and
(c) the time by which the said laboratories are likely to be set up?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a): The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), at present, has a network of 259 laboratories across the country. Out of these 259 laboratories, 241 are for primary testing, recognized & notified under Section 43(1) of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 and 18 laboratories for appellate (referral) testing, recognized & notified under Section 43(2) of the Act.
The category wise distribution of these laboratories is as under-
(a) Primary food testing laboratories
State food laboratories 12
Central Government institutes/Autonomous bodies 19
Private laboratories 148
State Government laboratories under transition provision* 62
Total 241
(b) Referral food testing laboratories
Central Government institutes/Autonomous bodies 16
FSSAI’s own laboratories 02
Total 18
Grand Total 259
(*brought from the erstwhile Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) regime; working under the transition provision of Section 98 of FSS act 2006)
State/UT wise number of these laboratories is at Annexure.
(b) & (c): The FSSAI recognises and notifies only those of the food laboratories belonging to Central institutes/Autonomous bodies, Private sectors etc. which are accredited by National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) or any other accreditation agency for the purposes of carrying out analysis of samples by the Food Analysts under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006. During the last three years, the strength of primary food testing laboratories and that of referral laboratories recognised and notified by FSSAI has increased by 81 and 4 respectively.
Further, FSSAI has provided assistance to States/UTs under a Central Sector Scheme for “Strengthening of Food Testing System in the Country including Provision of Mobile Food Testing Labs” (SOFTeL) with a total outlay of Rs. 481.95 crores to strengthen the State Food Testing Labs and Mobile Food Testing Labs. 37 State Food Laboratories across the country have been upgraded. 43 Food Safety on Wheels (FSWs) which is a mobile food testing lab, have been delivered to States/UTs.
In the State of Uttar Pradesh, a grant of Rs. 8.45 crore has been released for upgradation of laboratory. As regards food testing laboratories, there are 15 laboratories in the State of Uttar Pradesh.