PUNE: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has directed food manufacturers, repackers and relabellers to submit their annual returns by May 31, failing which they will be fined Rs 100 per day.
Last year, FDA officials had recovered fine of over Rs 18.77 lakh from food business operators in Pune district for not filing their annual returns for 2013-14 within the stipulated time. "Food manufacturers, repackers and relabellers have to submit annual returns of their transactions made between April 2014 and March 2015 by May 31, failing which a fine of Rs 100 will be imposed on them," said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune.
Food business operators with annual turnover of Rs 12 lakh and above have been directed to seek licences and those below the Rs 12 lakh mark are required to seek registration papers from the FDA under the new Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
There are over 9,000 licensed food business operators in the city with an annual turnover of Rs 12 lakh and above. They include food manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers and recyclers among others. "Of these, around 25% are manufacturers, repackers and relabellers who have to submit the annual returns every year," said Dilip Sangat, assistant commissioner (food), FDA, Pune
As per the Food Safety and Standards Act and Regulations, 2011 (licensing and registration), food manufacturers, repackers and relabellers have to submit the returns in a particular format — Form 'D-1'. "Only owners of milk businesses have been asked to submit the returns in a half-yearly format as given in Form 'D-2'," Sangat said.
"Awareness about filing the annual returns is very low among food business operators. The government has also not made substantial efforts to sensitise them on the issue," said office bearers of the Poona Merchant Chambers.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has exempted traders, restaurateurs and distributors from filing annual returns. The forms are available at the FDA office in the city and can also be downloaded from www.fssai.gov.in
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