Though the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, which was implemented starting August 2011 took some time to deliver results, since October 2011, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has witnessed an enormous rise in the number of licenses and registrations. The amount collected from the same has been a whopping Rs.36 crore. According to Mahesh Zagade, Commissioner, FDA, this is highest amount ever collected not only in the state but across the country.
“1.6 lakh registrations and licenses have been given out across the state from October 2011 to March 2012. The response has been excellent,” said Zagade.
While the registration fee is Rs.100, the license fee is slab-based. The license is given for a time span of one to five years as deemed appropriate by the FDA after judging the establishment on various parameters.
Any person involved in the food industry with an establishment of any size will have to get a registration or a license before August 4, 2012, else that establishment will be considered illegal. Establishments with an annual turnover of more than Rs.12 lakh will have to get a license while establishments with an annual turnover of less than Rs.12 lakh will have to get a registration.
“License holders will have to submit an annual report while those dealing with milk and related products will have to do so twice a year, milk being a sensitive product. Also, there would be different food managerial systems for different products. All this is being done to ensure that good quality products reach consumers.
Consumers too should make sure that they buy products only from license holders or registered establishments,” said Zagade.
Food stalls, restaurants must have FDA licence
Food stalls, restaurants and even five-star hotels have only three months to register with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or get a licence, else their business will be considered illegal.
Of the around 45 lakh food operators in Maharashtra, only 1.6 lakh possess valid licences or are registered with the FDA. The FDA has started a special drive to ensure that all food operators with an annual turnover of above Rs12 crore possess a license and those who earn less than Rs12 crore a year get a registration certificate as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
“We are applying Food Safety Management for all food operators in the state to ensure that people get hygienic and healthy food. We have appointed licensee officers and 300 food safety officers in seven regions to take food samples on a regular basis. The officers will then send an annual report to the FDA,” said Mahesh Zagade, FDA commissioner, told the media.
At present, the FDA has only two laboratories in the state and hence it will be difficult to check all the samples there. “I have sent a Rs800-crore proposal to the government to set up 300 public laboratories and 37 mobile labs,” said Zagade.
The FDA has also taken legal action against a few brands for misleading advertisements.
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