NEW DELHI: At a time when India is attempting to put in place strong food safety regulations, food and consumer affairs ministers of different states on Monday unanimously passed a resolution to bring the central regulator, FSSAI under food and consumer affairs ministry and not health ministry. The meeting was chaired by Union food and consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan.
The resolution has raised eyebrows since setting of food standards and regulations across the globe are with the health ministries and the item was not even in the agenda at the state ministers' meet.
Jharkhand food minister Saryu Roy said since both misbranding and impurity in food items directly affect consumers, FSSAI should come under the food and consumer affairs ministry.
Roy said, "While citizens look at us for action since we are food and consumer affairs ministers, we have no power to act as food regulation comes under health department." He claimed once the food regulator comes under food and consumer affairs there will be quick action against violators.
Officials said there was a huge debate if FSSAI should come under health or consumer affairs ministry and it was settled when the Act became effective in 2011.
"As such the regulator is an independent body and any move to bring it under control of any ministry will defeat the entire purpose of having an autonomous authority," said an official.
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