Chouhan urges PM to convene meeting of CMs on Food Safety Act

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding that implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 be kept in abeyance until issues concerning its provisions are resolved and also urged him to convene a meeting of all chief ministers at the earliest. 

Chouhan said certain provisions of the Act were causing extreme hardships to very Small Food Business Operators (FBO) across the country and need immediate intervention. 

"Keeping in view the approaching deadline of February 4, for issue of licences and registration of FBOs, the impractical and unimplementable nature of the provisions, and the great turmoil that it has caused, the provisions of the Act need reconsideration and extensive discussion," Chouhan said in a letter to prime minister. 

"The fallout of this in each state of the country also needs to be examined in detail to look for reasonable solutions. I request you, therefore, to urgently convene a meeting of all chief minsters to ascertain their views on the subject. 

"Till the time the issues are fully resolved, I seek your indulgence in kindly keeping the implementation of the provisions of the Act under abeyance," Chouhan said. 

He also highlighted that there are approximately seven lakh FBOs, including street hawkers and roadside vendors, in Madhya Pradesh and the provisions of the Act affect all of them in the same way. 

"This (street hawkers and roadside vendors) segment, specially has been very adversely hit on account of the stringent provisions of the Act. Unable to cope with the high benchmarks prescribed, which in some cases are impractical, most will be forced to close their businesses," Chouhan added.

DINAMALAR NEWS

FDA registers 17,000 food vendors during drive, issues licences to 352

NASHIK: The spot registration drive launched by the Nashik divisional office of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is receiving good response, as the FDA has registered 16,945 businesses and issued licences to 352 food-related businesses across the division in the last 21 days.

The division includes five districts - Nashik, Ahmednagar, Jalgaon, Dhule and Nandurbar. The FDA had launched a month-long spot registration drive in the division from January 7, which will continue till February 5. Thereafter, legal action will be taken against those food businesses which are found carrying out their activities without registration or licence.

As per the new Food Safety and Standard Act which came into effect from August 5, 2011, it is mandatory for businesses with an annual turnover of over Rs 12 lakh to have licences. Besides, business with a turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh are required to get registered by paying just Rs 500 and Rs 100 as annual renewal charges, while the license fee is Rs 2,000.

Speaking to TOI, Chandrakant Pawar, joint commissioner (food), Nashik division of FDA, said, "Our objective is to register of all food-related businesses across the division. We have launched a month-long spot registration drive to register businesses and issuing licences. We have really received a very good response so far. In the past 21 days (from January 7 to 27), we have registered 16,945 businesses and issued licences to 352 businesses in the division. We have formed teams comprising our officials across the division for the drive."

Of the total registrations, 3,765 businesses have been registered in Nashik district, 7,279 in Ahmednagar, 4,060 in Jalgaon and 1,841 in Dhule and Nandurbar districts. Besides, licences have been issued to 352 industries in the division, including 173 in Nashik, 72 in Ahmednagar, 23 in Jalgaon and 84 in Dhule and Nandurbar districts.

"Besides spot registrations, we have also set up separate sections in all our district offices to facilitate registration and issuance of licences. The drive will continue by February 5. Thereafter, we will take legal action against those businesses which are found without registrations and licences," Pawar added