Lok Sabha Question No. 2257 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-02
Subject: Action against Adulterated Item Sellers
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Sunil Kumar Mondal

## Government of India

## Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Department of Consumer Affairs

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2257

TO BE ANSWERED ON 02.08.2023

## ACTION AGAINST ADULTERATED ITEM SELLERS

## 2257.  SHRI SUNIL KUMAR MONDAL:

## Will  the  Minister  of CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has considered to control and take action against those shopkeepers and businessmen who sell adulterated items in the market by displaying more advertisement by all means in the country;
- (b) if so, the details of the number of licenses cancelled in this regard during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise;
- (c) if  so,  the  action  taken  against  shopkeepers  and  businessmen  and  the  provisions  made  by  the Government to handle such issues; and
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## miHkksDrk ekeys] [kk| vkSj lkoZtfud forj.k jkT; ea=h (श्री अश्विनी क ु मार चौबे)

## THE MINISTER OF STATE CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)  :    Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority  of  India  (FSSAI)  is  mandated  to  lay  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. Section 31(1) of FSS Act, 2006 provides that no person shall commence or carry on any Food Business except under a license.

Further,  the  Department  of  Consumer  Affairs  (DoCA)  administers  the  Consumer  Protection  Act, 2019 which has been enacted to protect the  rights  and  interests  of  consumers.  Section  90  and  91  of  the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provide for punishment for manufacturing for sale or for storing or selling or  for  distributing  or  importing  any  product  containing  an  adulterant  or  spurious  goods,  which  includes imprisonment or fine depending on the extent of injury to the consumer.

- (b) : FSSAI has informed that the number of total State licenses cancelled during the last three years is as below:

| Year    |   Total No. of State Licenses cancelled |
|---------|-----------------------------------------|
| 2020-21 |                                      40 |
| 2021-22 |                                     255 |
| 2022-23 |                                     505 |

The state/UT-wise details of the licenses cancelled during the last three years is annexed.

- (c) & (d): FSSAI has emphasized the need for creating a robust regulatory and administrative mechanism throughout  the  country  for  ensuring  availability  of  safe  food  throughout  the  country.  Henceforth,  FSSAI through State/UTs and its regional offices conduct regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of food products to check compliance of the standards laid down under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, Rules and Regulations made thereunder. In cases where the food samples are found to be nonconforming, penal action has been initiated against the defaulting Food Business Operators as per provisions of FSS Act, Rules and Regulations made thereunder.

*******

## ANNEXURE REFERRED IN REPLY TO PART (b) OF LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2257 FOR 02.08.2022 REGARDING ACTION AGAINST ADULTERATED ITEM SELLERS.

| Details of State Licenses Cancelled   | Details of State Licenses Cancelled   |   Details of State Licenses Cancelled |
|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
|                                       | Tamil Nadu                            |                                     8 |
|                                       | Kerala                                |                                     1 |
|                                       | Maharashtra                           |                                     5 |
|                                       | Madhya Pradesh                        |                                     2 |
|                                       | Gujarat                               |                                     4 |
|                                       | Himachal Pradesh                      |                                     2 |
|                                       | Uttar Pradesh                         |                                     3 |
| 2020-21                               | Bihar                                 |                                     2 |
|                                       | Jharkhand                             |                                     1 |
|                                       | Chhattisgarh                          |                                     1 |
|                                       | Tripura                               |                                     2 |
|                                       | Karnataka                             |                                     4 |
|                                       | Dadra &Nagar Haveli                   |                                     1 |
|                                       | Telangana                             |                                     4 |
| Grand Total                           | Grand Total                           |                                    40 |
|                                       | West Bengal                           |                                     2 |
|                                       | Orissa                                |                                     7 |
|                                       | Bihar                                 |                                     7 |
|                                       | Jharkhand                             |                                     1 |
|                                       | Chhattisgarh                          |                                     3 |
|                                       | Manipur                               |                                     1 |
|                                       | Meghalaya                             |                                     1 |
|                                       | Delhi                                 |                                     3 |
|                                       | Maharashtra                           |                                    39 |
|                                       | Madhya Pradesh                        |                                     3 |
|                                       | Gujarat                               |                                    44 |
|                                       | Goa                                   |                                     1 |
|                                       | Nagaland                              |                                     1 |
| 2021-22                               | Haryana                               |                                     2 |
|                                       | Tamil Nadu                            |                                    15 |
|                                       | Himachal Pradesh                      |                                     2 |
|                                       | Jammu &Kashmir                        |                                     6 |
|                                       | Punjab                                |                                     1 |
|                                       | Rajasthan                             |                                     5 |
|                                       | Uttar Pradesh                         |                                    30 |
|                                       | Kerala                                |                                    42 |
|                                       | Karnataka                             |                                    20 |
|                                       | Andhra Pradesh                        |                                     9 |
| Andaman And                           | Nicobar Islands                       |                                     3 |
|                                       | Daman &Diu                            |                                     1 |
|                                       | Puducherry                            |                                     1 |
|                                       | Telangana                             |                                     5 |
|                                       | Grand Total                           |                                   255 |

| 2022-23     | Orissa           |   91 |
|-------------|------------------|------|
|             | Bihar            |   19 |
|             | Jharkhand        |    1 |
|             | Tripura          |    4 |
|             | Delhi            |    1 |
|             | Maharashtra      |   37 |
|             | Madhya Pradesh   |    8 |
|             | Gujarat          |   25 |
|             | Haryana          |    3 |
|             | Tamil Nadu       |   18 |
|             | Kerala           |   66 |
|             | Himachal Pradesh |    3 |
|             | Jammu &Kashmir   |   54 |
|             | Punjab           |    2 |
|             | Rajasthan        |    7 |
|             | Uttar Pradesh    |   72 |
|             | Karnataka        |   64 |
|             | Andhra Pradesh   |   13 |
|             | Manipur          |    8 |
|             | Nagaland         |    4 |
|             | Telangana        |    5 |
| Grand Total | Grand Total      |  505 |

*****