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CAG finds FSSAI failed to penalise 2,430 food firms
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India failed to impose an estimated Rs 5.60 crore in penalties on 2,430 food businesses for not filing or delaying mandatory annual returns, a CAG…
The Story in Brief
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India failed to impose an estimated Rs 5.60 crore in penalties on 2,430 food businesses for not filing or delaying mandatory annual returns, a CAG audit has found. The audit covered FSSAI’s Eastern Region office in Kolkata and examined records from 2017-18 to 2022-23.
Of the defaulters, 1,018 did not file returns and 1,412 filed them late. The returns were due by May 31, with a penalty of Rs 100 per day for delays, subject to a prescribed limit. CAG said none had their licences suspended or cancelled by August 2023. FSSAI said notices had been issued or would be reissued. It had recovered Rs 2.27 crore.
The Indian Opinion
The easy claim that food regulation exists only on paper is too broad, but this audit exposes a plain enforcement failure. A basic filing rule went unenforced for years, and licensing powers were not used against any of the reported defaulters. FSSAI’s notices are a start, not proof of compliance. The useful test is whether the remaining Rs 3.33 crore is recovered and whether future returns are filed by May 31.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
