Food business operators told to register with FDA by December 31

The Pune Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday set December 31 this year as the deadline for food business operators to register with it in accordance with rules of the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).

So far, in Pune district, a total of 15,299 new licences have been issued to food business operators while 24,440 have registered with the FDA.

FDA officials have warned that a daily fine of Rs 100 will be imposed if licenses are not renewed within the deadline.

It is usually small shops and vendors that pose a problem, but now special camps are being organised so that the procedure can be expedited.

Special camps are being held till November 30 for the purpose, FDA joint commissioner (food) Shashikant Kekare said.

Maharashtra is among the leading states in converting the old licenses under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954, into those under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. According to FDA Assistant Commissioner Dilip Sangat, in Pune division, a total of 29,880 new licenses have been issued, while 92,120 registrations have been made under the new rules.

The new licensing regime was initiated on August 5, 2011, when the FSSA came into force. It aims at bringing the food industry under one umbrella by scrapping all old licenses.

Sangat said that the food industry needs to be regulated in order to ensure food safety.

Screening and registration of food business operators is mandatory as per the new act and to facilitate this procedure, special camps are underway at tehsils till November 30.

"These camps will help food business operators get their licenses renewed or apply for fresh licenses," Sangat said.

Food business operators include hotels, restaurants, owners of small food stalls, dhabas, milk suppliers, fish stall owners, fruit and vegetable vendors, manufacturers, hawkers, small scale industrialists, fair price shop owners, self help groups and other such businesses.

Operators with an annual income of less than Rs 12 lakh per annum have to register themselves with the FDA.

If the turnover is more than Rs 12 lakh then the businessman has to get a new license from the FDA.

Operating without a license is illegal as per Section 63 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, Sangat further pointed out.