Registration, licensing of food business mandatory - Aug 4 is the last date for obtaining licences, registration certificates

Bathinda, July 17
Under the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations 2011, the licensing and registration of food businesses is on in the district.
As many as 120 licences and 225 registration certificates have been issued by the Designated Officer, Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, in the district so far.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has fixed August 4 as the last date for the food business operators (producing, processing, transporting or trading in food items) for obtaining the licences and registration certificates. Registration of the food business is necessary if the annual turnover is up to `12 lakh and obtaining a licence is mandatory if the annual turnover of the business is above `12 lakh.
Talking to the Bathinda Tribune, District Health Officer (DHO) and designated officer, Dr Raghubir Singh Randhawa, said 120 licences had been issued by his office to dairy operators, sweet shops, milk chilling centres, hotels, restaurants, “karyana” merchants, poultry business, slaughter houses etc.
Two hundred and twenty-five registration certificates had been issued to vegetable and fruit vendors, small shopkeepers, milk vendors, small icecream units, small sweet shops etc, he added.
Dr Randhawa said the licences were being issued after conducting inspection of the premises of food businesses to ensure that the food was being manufactured or processed in hygienic conditions. After the issuance of the licence, a food safety officer would visit the premises at least once a year, he added.
He also said the medical examination of the food handlers, like cooks and waiters, was also mandatory under the Act so as to curb the spread of contagious diseases like tuberculosis through food items. He also said if anyone was found running a food business without a licence in near future, he or she would be prosecuted and punished. Under the Food Safety and Standards Act, a fine of `5 lakh or six months’ imprisonment could be imposed on the violators.
Dr Randhawa said operator of a food business with an annual turnover of up to `12 lakh could get his/her business registered by depositing a fee of `100 with the district health authorities. If the turnover is above `12 lakh, a licence can be procured by depositing `2,000. The licence would be valid for one year and would need renewal every year, he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Randhawa has reportedly issued letters to about 35 associations of various food-related businesses, advising them to ask the members of their respective associations to get their businesses registered or obtain licences before July 25.

Fact file

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has fixed August 4 as the last date for the food business operators (producing, processing, transporting or trading in food items) for obtaining the licences and registration certificates.
Registration of the food business is necessary if the annual turnover is up to `12 lakh and obtaining a licence is mandatory if the annual turnover of the business is above `12 lakh.
As many as 120 licences and 225 registration certificates have been issued by the Designated Officer, Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, in the district so far.