Lok Sabha Question No. 2269 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-12
Subject: Licenses for Food Business Operators
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Jagannath Sarkar

## GOVERNMENTOFINDIA MINISTRY OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2269 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 th DECEMBER, 2025

## LICENSES FOR FOOD BUSINESS OPERATORS

## 2269. SHRI JAGANNATH SARKAR:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILYWELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of Central-level Food Business Operator (FBO) licenses processed by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Regional Office for Kolkata, categorised as manufacturers/importers/exporters/airlines/ports and railways during the last three years;
- (b) the number of surveillance inspections, raids and enforcement actions conducted by the Regional office particularly against food adulteration and unsafe food practices during the said period;
- (c) the initiative undertaken by the said Regional office to promote consumer awareness and capacity building, including the Eat Right India campaign, training of street food vendors and hygiene ratings for eateries and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the number of sanctioned posts and vacancies in the said Regional Office, Kolkata as on date, category-wise?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV)

- (a) to (d): 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. The implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 is a shared responsibility between the Central and State Governments.

Detail of Central Licenses issued by Regional Office, Kolkata, FSSAI during the last three years, is as follow: -

|   S.No. | Financial Year                |   No. of Central Licenses |
|---------|-------------------------------|---------------------------|
|       1 | 2023-24                       |                      5905 |
|       2 | 2024-25                       |                      7315 |
|       3 | 2025-26 (till 31 st Oct 2025) |                      5185 |

The above data does not include airlines, ports, and railways catering licenses which were issued by Designated Officers (DOs) appointed from respective departments (such as airlines, ports, and railways catering service) and not under jurisdiction of the Regional Office, Kolkata.

Detail of inspections surveillance & legal/enforcement samples drawn and Enforcement action taken during the last three years, is as follow: -

| Financial                     | Number of Inspections conducted   | Number of Surveillance samples drawn   | Number of Enforcement samples   | Enforcement actions                          | Enforcement actions       |
|-------------------------------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|---------------------------|
| Year                          |                                   |                                        | drawn                           | Prosecution cases filed                      | Adjudicatio n cases filed |
| 2023-24                       | 221                               | 1238                                   | 250                             | 23* (21-unsafe food 2- Business w/o license) | 48                        |
| 2024-25                       | 342                               | 2107                                   | 649                             | 14 (Unsafe food)                             | 14                        |
| 2025-26 (till 31 st Oct 2025) | 274                               | 959                                    | 675                             | 11 (Unsafe food)                             | 67                        |

Regional Office, Kolkata, FSSAI has implemented various initiatives to promote consumer awareness and capacity building, including the Eat Right India, Basic catering and Covid Module Training, Street Food Vendors Training & Food Safety Awareness Session.

There are 38 officials working against 49 sanctioned posts in Regional Office, Kolkata, FSSAI.

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