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Dharmarao Baba Atram, Cabinet Minister, Food and Drug Administration, Government of Maharashtra
Dharmarao Baba Atram, who took charge as a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Minister of Maharashtra, on July 14, 2023, announced that keeping the health and well-being of the citizens is his priority and he will make sure that the citizens have access to clean and uncontaminated food. Besides, he has instructed the FDA officials to take stringent action against vendors who engage in food adulteration. In a conversation with nuFFOODS Spectrum, the minister shared pertinent details about various initiatives of the FDA ministry and FDA Maharashtra. Edited excerpts:
What steps is the FDA taking to ensure food safety in Maharashtra and also to support the industry?
FDA is implementing the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. The main principle of the said Food Act is to make available safe, nutritious, and wholesome food to the public. FDA took strict vigilance on persons involved in unethical practices while conducting food business. FDA conducts special drives of surveillance sampling, and enforcement samplings, various festival drives, inspects the premises of food establishments, and collects samples of various food articles for analysis. After getting reports of analysis if the sample is found substandard, misbranded or unsafe the penal action will be initiated against the culprit. Also, the “Eat Right” initiative campaign is going on to educate and raise awareness among the public regarding safe, nutritious healthy food habits. Also, training programs are arranged for FBOs that is FoSTaC (FOOD SAFETY and TRAINING CERTIFICATION) training to increase awareness within FBOs regarding safety and hygiene related to food.
Food adulteration is one of the key issues that need the utmost attention from the FDA. The adulteration had risen from 1162 to 2529 cases between 2015 and 2017 in the state. What steps has the FDA in light of these numbers?
FDA is consistently working toward controlling adulteration. Regular inspections of food establishments are carried out, samples are collected, suspicious food articles stock are seized and after receipt of an analysis report, penal action is initiated against the offenders.
Milk adulteration is one of the key issues in the state. What measures does the FDA have in place to overcome milk adulteration in the state?
To overcome the issue of milk adulteration, the following measures are taken that is first raids are arranged regularly and then samples are collected and after getting an analysis report penal action will be initiated against culprits. Awareness campaigns are going on to educate people and make awareness that while purchasing milk, purchase from licensed food establishments, after opening the bag empty milk bag shall be destroyed, while purchasing milk check the brand name, manufacturing date, name and address of the manufacturer, best before date etc. Also, special drives are conducted, recently the government has constituted a District Level Committee under the chairmanship of Additional Collector at each District to control milk adulteration, milk checking campaigns are arranged regularly to check the quality of milk.
The FDA has collected over Rs 1 crore in fines from FBOs with no arrests in the state. The total cost of efforts and time invested by the FDA is much more than that says reports. How will the FDA be going to address the issue of no conviction for selling and marketing adulterated food items in the state?
To overcome this issue FDA has appointed Law Officers at the regional level to take regular follow-up of cases filed in various courts of Law resulting in an increase in convictions and penalties. FDA is going to create new 25 posts of Adjudication Officers for the disposal of quasi-judicial cases pending before the Adjudication Officer.
FDA Maharashtra is said to be facing manpower problems. What steps are being taken by the FDA to sort out these problems?
Earlier FDA Maharashtra was facing severe manpower; there are more than 50 per cent vacancies in all cadres including the Food, Drug, and Laboratory divisions. To overcome this problem the department is going to fill these vacancies from The Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) and other Agencies. Advertisement for more than 200 posts of officers was published at the beginning of this year by MPSC. The preliminary examination was conducted in the first week of June 2023 and the result of the same was declared last month. The Mains exam will be conducted next January. By the end of the first half of next year, these vacancies can be filled to strengthen the department.
How many FBOs are registered in Maharashtra?
There are 10,25,409 food business operators (FBOs) registered under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, Rules and Regulations, 2011 out of which 1,70,348 are License holders having annual turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh and 8,55, 061 Registrations holders having annual turnover of less than Rs 12 lakh.
Abhitash Singh