PUNE: Nearly 100 of the 160 self-help groups,
which provide midday meals to schools in the city, are expected to get
Food and Drug Administration licence within a fortnight.
The FDA has made it mandatory for all SHGs involved in cooking midday meals for school children to secure a licence in the wake of the Bihar midday meal tragedy where over 20 school children died due to food poisoning.
Around 160 SHGs provide food to almost 92,000 students in over 600 schools in the city. Following the Bihar midday meal
tragedy, the Pune Municipal Corporation issued show-cause notices to two major groups that act as coordinators of SHGs which supply meals to schools.
Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, said, "We conducted a workshop on Sunday for the SHGs. An orientation programme regarding food safety and hygiene maintenance was held during the workshop. Also, the need to have a licence and the documentation required for the purpose was discussed. After the workshop, we received applications from many SHGs and in 15 days, about 100 of them will be getting their licences." As many as 320 women attended the workshop, he added.
As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, SHGs are required to register with the FDA and take a licence from it to operate. The FDA checks hygiene, the material used for cooking and the quality of food before giving its approval.
The SHGs were also informed about the food temperature to be maintained during distribution of food, the quality of the raw material to be used for cooking and the importance of having clean kitchen sheds. As per FDA rules, SHGs with an annual turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh need to register with it, while those having a turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh per annum, have to secure licences.
The FDA has made it mandatory for all SHGs involved in cooking midday meals for school children to secure a licence in the wake of the Bihar midday meal tragedy where over 20 school children died due to food poisoning.
Around 160 SHGs provide food to almost 92,000 students in over 600 schools in the city. Following the Bihar midday meal
tragedy, the Pune Municipal Corporation issued show-cause notices to two major groups that act as coordinators of SHGs which supply meals to schools.
Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, said, "We conducted a workshop on Sunday for the SHGs. An orientation programme regarding food safety and hygiene maintenance was held during the workshop. Also, the need to have a licence and the documentation required for the purpose was discussed. After the workshop, we received applications from many SHGs and in 15 days, about 100 of them will be getting their licences." As many as 320 women attended the workshop, he added.
As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, SHGs are required to register with the FDA and take a licence from it to operate. The FDA checks hygiene, the material used for cooking and the quality of food before giving its approval.
The SHGs were also informed about the food temperature to be maintained during distribution of food, the quality of the raw material to be used for cooking and the importance of having clean kitchen sheds. As per FDA rules, SHGs with an annual turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh need to register with it, while those having a turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh per annum, have to secure licences.
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