Lok Sabha Question No. 3686 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-25
Subject: Poor Quality Food Products in Metros
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Jaskaur Meena

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3686

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 th  MARCH, 2022

## POOR QUALITY FOOD PRODUCTS IN METROS

## 3686. SHRIMATI JASKAUR MEENA:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is aware that poor quality food products are being supplied in the country particularly in metro cities;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (c) whether the Government has formulated any scheme to ensure the quality of food being supplied, particularly to metro cities;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the steps being taken by the Government forproper implementation of the scheme?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY

## WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a)  to  (e):  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority  of  India  (FSSAI)  was  established  in  2008 under  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Act,  2006  primarily  for  laying  down  science  based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 and Rules and Regulations, lay down the quality and safety standards for various articles of food. Implementation and enforcement of these standards  primarily  lie  with  the  State/UT  Governments.  Regular  surveillance,  monitoring, inspection and sampling of food products from all sources i.e. manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors,  transporters,  retailmarkets  etc.  are  carried  out  by  Food  Safety  Officers  of States/UTs and in cases of non-compliance, penal action is taken against the defaulting Food Business Operators (FBOs) as per the provisions of FSS Act, 2006, Rules and Regulations.

In order to address the gaps in the food safety eco-system of States/ UTs and to ensure safe  and  wholesome  food  through  pooling  of  technical  knowledge  and  best  practices  as  a shared  responsibility,  FSSAI  has  signed  Memorandums  of  Understanding  (MoUs)  with States/  UTs  to  extend  both  technical  and  financial  support  to  the  States/UT  Governments. FSSAI  has  extended  financial  support  to  States/UTs  under  a  Central  Sector  Scheme  for strengthening of food testing infrastructure.FSSAI has regularly urged States/UTs to carry out targeted enforcement and surveillance drive to check adulteration in food products.

FSSAI has developed State Food Safety Index to measure the performance of States on  five  significant  parameters  of  Food  Safety:  namely;  Human  Resource  and  Institutional Data,  Compliance,  Food  Testing  Infrastructure  &  Surveillance,  Training  and  Capacity Building  and  Consumer  Empowerment  and  to  inculcate  competitive  spirit  to  improve  the food safety ecosystem in the State/UT. Regular interaction is held with States/UTs through quarterly  meetings  of  Central  Advisory  Committee  to  review  the  performance  of  the States/UTs.

Based on information made available by the States/UTs, details of total samples of food analysed, found non- conforming, and action taken during 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 is as below:

| Year     | No. of Samples Analysed   | No. of Samples found non- conforming   | Action taken - Civil Cases   | Action taken - Civil Cases   | Action taken - Civil Cases   | Action taken - Criminal Cases   | Action taken - Criminal Cases   | Action taken - Criminal Cases   |
|----------|---------------------------|----------------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| Year     | No. of Samples Analysed   | No. of Samples found non- conforming   | No. of Cases launched        | No. of Cases decided         | No. of Convictions           | No. of Cases Launched           | No. of Cases decided            | No. of Convictions              |
| 2019- 20 | 118775                    | 29589                                  | 27412                        | 18192                        | 17345                        | 4681                            | 828                             | 780                             |
| 2020- 21 | 107829                    | 28347                                  | 24195                        | 15878                        | 14817                        | 3869                            | 520                             | 506                             |

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