The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has decided to allow FBOs to temporarily operate on the basis of a valid application number for licensing or registration generated online during the lockdown period announced by the government due to Covid-19 pandemic.
According to an official with the FSSAI, due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown, the physical verification of applications by food safety officials will not be possible so it was decided that the new applications will be processed online provisionally subject to fulfilment of some conditions.
The order says that FBOs (Food Business Operators) other than manufacturers will be allowed to operate their businesses temporarily under the FSS Act on the basis of a valid receipt of application filed for FSSAI licence/registration having 17 digit application reference number generated on the Food Licensing and Registration System.
“FBOs will be required to have applied/apply for FSSAI licence/registration by making online applications with prescribed fee through online mode on FLRS and possess a valid receipt of application having 17 digit application reference number. Further, FBO shall be required to inform by email to the concerned licensing authority or commissioner of food safety about commencing his food business enclosing a scanned copy of the application form prescribed by the FSSAI,” says the order.
The order added that such FBOs shall respond to the queries on application, if raised by the authorities and shall be bound to follow all the instructions as given by the authorities. Further, FBO shall stop all his food business activities immediately, if his application is rejected by the licensing authority even in the lockdown period.
The order cautions that this order is for the period of lockdown only and post-lockdown the FBO needs to have a valid licence to operate within 30 days.
Also, the order states that the state food safety commissioners may restrict this permission to certain kind of business categories depending upon the demands during the lockdown.