Union Govt defers Food Safety and Standards Act date

JAMMU: While accepting the demand of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) Jammu, and the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), an apex body of the trading community of the country, the Union Health Minister, Dr. Harshvardhan has deferred the last date of obtaining registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) till 4th February, 2015. The earlier last date was 4th August, 2014, as per a notification issued by FSSA.

It is noteworthy that CCI Jammu and CAIT was strongly lobbying for deferment of the Act for the last more than two months on account of many impracticable provisions of the said Act. The CCI and CAIT alleged that the Act has been brought to facilitate MNCs to control and dominate the foodbusiness in India.

Welcoming the decision, President CCI, Rakesh Gupta; CAIT National President, B.C Bhartia and Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal in a joint statement issued here on Monday complimented Dr. Harshvardhan for taking cognizance of the sufferings and plight of the trading community and deferring the Act.

They said that though certainly it is a big relief to traders and citizens of the country but CCI with the active cooperation of CAIT will continue its fight since the Act is suffered with various anomalies and disparities. The trade leaders called upon Dr. Harshvardhan to defer the Act and constitute a Joint Committee of Senior Government Officials and CAIT representatives to make an in depth study of the Act and its Rules and Regulations and to recommend the government necessary amendments to make the Act universally accepted by all sections of the society.

The trade leaders said that under the provisions of the Act not only the person engaged in food business or even in any social functions where any kind of food articles are served will be required to obtain registration. They said that which means that even the ‘Prasad’ in temple or Langer in Gurudwara, wedding functions or social functions like conferences and seminars, hawkers, street vendors etc. are also liable to obtain registration and even a minor lapse will led such people for heavy punishment including fine and imprisonment.