The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has extended the licensing and registration deadline thrice in the last two years, because food safety officers (FSO) in a number of states have allegedly been accepting bribes, according to M A Tejani, managing director, Gits Food Products Pvt Ltd. February 4, 2014 has been set as the latest, and a further extension seems unlikely.
Tejani said, “FSSAI has just been set up for corruption. There have been a number of occasions when food business operators (FBO) approached officials of the country’s apex food regulator for more information about the new licensing and registration rules, and the latter simply passed the buck to others. It seems they lack a sense of responsibility and accountability.”
He added, “The legal fee for registration is Rs 100 for FBO whose profit is less than Rs 12 lakh, and Rs 2,000 for licensing for those who earn a profit of Rs 12 lakh or more. But FSO in states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra have allegedly been demanding bribes ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 1,50,000 for licensing and registration.”
“A majority of the FBO fear the punitive action that the FSO threaten to take aganist them and pay the bribe. However, there are some who do not pay them, and that is the reason for the delay in issuing licences to them or getting their establishments registered,” said Tejani, who is also president, the All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA).
He informed FnB News that several FBO in Mumbai have valid licences or are running registered establishments, but pay the FSO bribes, and this is compelling several small-scale FBO to down their shutters, and added that since the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006 on August 5, 2011, FSO have come up with novel ways to demand bribes.
The owner of a South Indian eatery in Matunga said, “It is true that we have to pay FSO bribes despite being registered/licensed eateries. Since FSSA came into effect, FSO have been behaving like inspectors. It is, in fact, the Inspector Raj. The licensing and registration deadline would have not been extended if the FSO had been friendly with us and informed us about the procedure.”
Tejani said, “FSSAI has just been set up for corruption. There have been a number of occasions when food business operators (FBO) approached officials of the country’s apex food regulator for more information about the new licensing and registration rules, and the latter simply passed the buck to others. It seems they lack a sense of responsibility and accountability.”
He added, “The legal fee for registration is Rs 100 for FBO whose profit is less than Rs 12 lakh, and Rs 2,000 for licensing for those who earn a profit of Rs 12 lakh or more. But FSO in states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra have allegedly been demanding bribes ranging between Rs 10,000 and Rs 1,50,000 for licensing and registration.”
“A majority of the FBO fear the punitive action that the FSO threaten to take aganist them and pay the bribe. However, there are some who do not pay them, and that is the reason for the delay in issuing licences to them or getting their establishments registered,” said Tejani, who is also president, the All India Food Processors’ Association (AIFPA).
He informed FnB News that several FBO in Mumbai have valid licences or are running registered establishments, but pay the FSO bribes, and this is compelling several small-scale FBO to down their shutters, and added that since the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006 on August 5, 2011, FSO have come up with novel ways to demand bribes.
The owner of a South Indian eatery in Matunga said, “It is true that we have to pay FSO bribes despite being registered/licensed eateries. Since FSSA came into effect, FSO have been behaving like inspectors. It is, in fact, the Inspector Raj. The licensing and registration deadline would have not been extended if the FSO had been friendly with us and informed us about the procedure.”
Will it be feasible to make all the FBO's licenced before Feb 2014?
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