Licence seekers prefer cyber cafes

REGISTRATION UNDER FOOD SAFETY AND STANDARDS ACT

Bathinda, December 10

A number of shopkeepers selling food items are facing difficulties in getting themselves registered online under the Food Safety and Standards Act.

Besides the registration, the shopkeepers have to get the licence issued under the Act following which they have to spend money for filling the online forms at cyber cafés.

Mandatory under the Act, about 750 shopkeepers have got themselves registered in the city, while many others are in the process of registration and to get the requisite licence issued.

The fee of the licence under the Food Safety and Standard Authority of Indian (FSSAI) has to be submitted by the applicant.

For online registration and filling of forms for the licence, officials of the department concerned have been filling the forms but due to the rush of the applicants, many residents prefer private cyber cafés to get the licences issued as soon as possible.

For the online facility, applicants can log on to the designated website foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in, where they will have to register as users after furnishing details of the business. After that a requisite fee has to be paid as per the government order.

Then the applicant has to fill up the form to seek the registration and get the licence issued and upload scanned copies of the required documents on the website.

Even after the online facility, the applicants have to send documents and receipt through registered post to the office of District Health Officer. After getting the application through online mode, health workers visits the shops or manufacturing units for verification of the premises.

Operators involved in the food bussiness with an annual turnover above Rs 12 crore must have a licence and those who earn less than Rs 12 crore a year must get a registration certificate, as per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

“The process is complicated on internet following which the shopkeepers and other applicants approach cyber cafe owners who demand an amount of Rs 1,000 for filling the forms. Due to the shortage of staff and computers at government offices, many residents opt to go to private shops to get themselves registered as the deadline has crossed,” said Mohan Lal, a shopkeeper.

The eateries, roadside fast food shops, joints, hotels, stall holders, restaurants, canteens, dhabas, food carts, sweetshops, tea stalls, grocery stores, meat and milk sellers besides other shops dealing with eatables in the district have to get themselves registered.