New Delhi (NVI): Centre has asked states to effectively implement Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 and proactively launch periodic drives to check the menace of counterfeit food items, particularly during the festival times.
The implementation of the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 primarily rests with the States and UTs.
The direction came from Government’s Secretary of Health and Family Welfare (HFW) Preeti Sudan during her meeting with the Food Safety Departments of the State Governments along with FSSAI. She asked the states to submit a report on the manner in which counterfeiting of food products can be tracked, recorded and curbed in an effective manner.
While addressing the Principal Secretaries of States and UTs through video conferencing here on October 23, HFW Secretary said strong action against counterfeit food products must be taken and brought to the notice of the public to generate awareness and the Health Secretaries must review the action taken every month and inform FSSAI.
She requested the Principal Secretaries to hold periodic drives with the help of police authorities to check the menace particularly during the festival times.
She emphasized the Deputy Commissioners and District Magistrates must be sensitized by State and UT Governments to curb counterfeit food and they should take up a leadership role in drives against such activity.
The video conferencing involved the Principal Secretaries of Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Manipur, Puducherry, Goa, Chandigarh, Tripura, Meghalaya and Himachal Pradesh.
-sb
