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"Analytical capacity in labs inadequate"
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Monday, 23 October, 2023, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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 Maharashtra State Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for regulation and efficient implementation of food and drug administration in the state. Dharamraobaba Bhagwantrao Aatram, Cabinet Minister of Food and Drug Administration, Maharashtra, talks about FDA's role in food safety in view of the challenges, addresses the issue of food adulteration and shares future plans for FDA in an email interaction with Aanchal Chaudhary. Excerpts:
How is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) addressing the issue of food adulteration and contamination in the state?
The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and Regulations, 2011, are implemented in the State of Maharashtra, including the whole of India, with effect from August 5, 2011. In the State of Maharashtra, this Act is enforced through the Food and Drug Administration Department.
As per the Act, Food Safety Officers of the State carry out inspections of food establishments, take food samples for analysis, seize food items if required, and destroy them if not as per standards.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken the following measures to ensure that the quality of food items remains unaffected, to curb adulteration of food items, and to prevent the sale of Substandard/Unsafe Food articles.
1. Camps are organised to create awareness among consumers and Food Business Operators about food safety.
2. In order to curb adulteration in food items, the administration conducts regular inspections of food manufacturers, distributors, and retailers across the state and takes samples regularly.
3. During the festive season, special drives are organised to provide pure and healthy sweets, milk, khawa, mawa, edible oil and so on to the public. During various festivals, celebrations and occasions sampling, inspections and public awareness campaigns are conducted. Food Business Operators violating the rules and regulations are dealt with as per the provisions of the Act.
4. Special drives on milk and dairy products, edible oils, and prohibited food articles are conducted throughout the State regularly.
What steps are taken to improve the efficiency of food regulatory processes?
Previously, there were 65 posts of Assistant Commissioner (Food) and 265 posts of Food Safety Officers. Now, 90 posts of Assistant Commissioner (Food) and 350 posts of Food Safety Officers have been sanctioned.
The State Government has approved the recruitment for the post of Assistant Commissioner (Food) and Food Safety Officer in the administration. The department is making rigorous efforts to utilise the available manpower to attain its objective. The number of Food Safety Officers and Designated Officers is being increased and the scope of work is being redistributed in order to ensure smooth and expeditious disposal of the work of the administration and also to ensure that the people get clean and safe food. In this way, the administration can serve the people more effectively.
For better transparency and uniform Implementation Food and Drugs Administration has started online inspection and sampling of the food business. This will improve the quality of inspection.
In addition, training is given to Food Business Operators about provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and hygiene requirements. Meetings and workshops are organised from time to time to impart awareness. FoSTaC (Food Safety Training and Certification) training is given to Food Business Operators to make them aware of the provisions of the law. It helps in creating awareness among the people.
How is the FDA collaborating with other government agencies to enhance food safety?
District Level Advisory Committees (DLAC) are constituted under sub-regulation 2.1.15 of FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations, 2011. The state/UT Governments, may, if required designate an existing advisory committee at panchayat/district/ state level or where such a committee does not exist, constitute an advisory committee to assist, aid or advise on any matter concerning food safety.
In the State of Maharashtra total 36 DLAC are constituted which help in the implementation of Food Safety and Standards Act as well as controlling and solving problems arising during implantation of the Act. This committee is chaired by District Magistrate and Collector/ Deputy Commissioner, District Health Officer as Vice-Chairman and Assistant Commissioner Food as Member Secretary. The meeting of this committee is held once in three months.
What actions are being taken to tackle the issue of illegal or unlicensed food establishments?
As per Section 31 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, it is compulsory for Food Business Operators to take licence/registration certificate. Provisions have been made for registration of small businesses (Annual turnover less than Rs 12 lakh) and licences for large businesses (Annual turnover more than Rs 12 lakh).
Whole process right from application for food licence/ registration of food business including fees payment till issuance of licence/ registration is done digitally. Anyone who wish to apply for licence/ registration of his food business has to visit foscos.fssai.gov.in a dedicated portal for licensing and registration.
Food Business Operators are encouraged to conduct food business after applying for licences/registration or else stringent action is taken against them. Special camps are organised for the same. In addition, training is given to Food Business Operators about provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act from time to time to impart awareness.
Elaborate on the FDA's role in ensuring the safety and quality of imported food products entering Maharashtra?
Inspection and sampling are carried out of the imported food articles available in the local market. If samples are not as per standards then as per contravention adjudication /compounding or court cases are filed against all the responsible Food Business Operators. Inspection and sampling of importers comes under the purview of Central FSSAI. In case imported food article is found to be substandard or unsafe then Central FSSAI is informed to take action against the importer.
Share insights into the FDA's budget allocation and resource management to effectively carry out its regulatory responsibilities in the state?
Being an enforcement department, less share of the budget is allocated to the department. The State Government and Central Government made memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen the system of food safety in the State of Maharashtra. In said MoU there is 40% share of state and 60% share of Central Government. During the year 2021-22, the total allocated budget is Rs 21.03 crore. While in the year 2022-23, the total allocated budget is Rs 51.68 crore.
According to 2022-2023 new data shows Maharashtra State FDA requires urgent enhancement of its food testing infrastructure. Comment.
There are a total of three laboratories in the state under Food and Drug Administration for analysis of food samples.
Considering the number of Food Safety Officers in the State, their sampling targets and the future recruitment of Food Safety Officers, the analytical capacity in the laboratories is very inadequate. For this PPP Model is implemented in the State.
If all the three Food Testing Laboratories in the state are given to a private company to run, a total of 2,000 food samples per month and 24,000 food samples per year will be analysed free of cost. For this, a proposal has been submitted to the Government on January 16, 2023.
In order to strengthen the food safety system in the State, under the Memorandum of Understanding, a total fund of Rs 72 crore has been made available to the Administration as per the approved work plan for the year 2021-22 and 2022-23. The said fund is utilised in the strengthening of food testing system, strengthening of implementation and compliance system, and for implementation of various activities under Eat Right Initiatives.
Tell us about the adjudication scenario in the state in regard to foods?
Maharashtra is one of the state where large number of adjudication applications are filed on the basis on contravention (Punishable with fine) before the adjudicating officer. The Department is trying its best to cope up with the pendency in adjudication proceedings. All the adjudicating officers are given target to decide maximum cases of adjudication per month.
A proposal dated Sept 13, 2021, is submitted to the Government of Maharashtra for increasing the posts (total 25 posts) of adjudicating officer along with 25 clerks for speedy disposal of the adjudication cases so that there is effective implementation of the Act.
Any plans for the FDA to launch new schemes to ensure food safety in the state?
The Eat Right India (ERI) movement has been launched by FSSAI to protect the health of the people and the planet by transforming the food ecosystem of the country through a systems approach. The registration for Eat Right Challenge for Districts (phase 3) has started. Under this initiative various activities like Eat Right Campus / BHOG (Blissful Hygienic Offering to God ) / Hygiene rating /Clean Street Food Hubs / Clean Fruits and Vegetable Markets are included. ERI encompasses a bouquet of initiatives that targets food businesses to supply safe, healthy and sustainable food and consumers to make the right food choices.
FDA is planning for building capacities for food-testing through innovative approaches such as public-private partnerships, mobile food-testing vans and rapid food-testing kits. Further, to build capacities of food businesses on food safety, Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) programme is conducted to ensure a trained and certified Food Safety Supervisor (FSS) on every food business premises.
E-office implementation has started at headquarter level and e-office implementation would soon start at Divisional level.
Citizens are the most vital & crucial stakeholders in food and drug safety, directly impacted by the quality of products they consume. The FDA IEC scheme aims at enhancing communication and engagement between the FDA and citizens.
For the FDA IEC scheme, we are proposing the name “Food & Drug Administration Outreach and Communication Scheme". (Focus) The name conveys FDA's commitment to prioritising food and drug safety through targeted communication and engagement, thus focusing on building a vigilant and informed community. Additionally, it signifies the FDA's aim to concentrate efforts on creating awareness and fostering responsible decision-making among consumers and stakeholders.
The scheme's primary objective is to empower citizens with comprehensive knowledge of food and drug safety, enabling them to make informed decisions about the products they use, ultimately ensuring their safety and well-being. Additionally, the scheme aims to promote a culture of vigilance and responsibility by placing citizens at the forefront of overseeing regulatory compliance and playing an essential role in ensuring food and drug safety.
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