Food safety officials inspected 26 Bengaluru hotels on Friday. Thirty teams collected 35 food samples for laboratory analysis NEW DELHI: The food regulator failed to impose Rs 5.60 crore in penalties on 2,430 food businesses that either did not file or delayed filing mandatory annual returns, a CAG audit has found, raising questions over enforcement of basic food safety rules.An audit of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) Eastern Region office in Kolkata found that 1,018 food businesses did not submit their annual returns, while 1,412 filed them late during 2017-18 to 2022-23.These returns provide FSSAI with information on the quantities of food products manufactured, handled, imported or exported by licensed food businesses during the year. They have to be submitted by May 31. Businesses that miss the deadline are liable to pay a penalty of Rs 100 for each day of delay, subject to the prescribed limit.CAG estimated that Rs 5.60 crore in penalties should have been imposed on the 2,430 businesses. However, the audit found that FSSAI had not imposed the penalties. It also noted that none of the defaulters had their licence suspended or cancelled as of August 2023.Join conversationView All Comments →Share your thoughts in the commentsInsightfulAgreeDisagreeSkepticalConcerningPromisingWorth ReadingBig DevelopmentPost CommentBe respectful · TOI community guidelinesFollowing the audit, FSSAI said improvement notices had been issued to some defaulting food businesses and that notices would be issued again to all defaulters.Of the Rs 5.60 crore penalty identified by CAG, Rs 2.27 crore had been recovered, according to the report.The finding is significant because filing an annual return is a basic requirement for licensed food businesses. The audit has highlighted gaps in FSSAI’s monitoring and enforcement of this requirement.Get the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.About the AuthorAnuja JaiswalAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosDid Congress Leaders Signal Stop? Viral Vande Mataram Video Sparks Political Firestorm In New DelhiIndia Signs ₹1,577 Crore Drone Deals As Army Powers Up Precision Strikes And Unmanned WarfareAjit Doval Breaks Silence On Operation Sindoor, Reveals PM Modi’s Immediate Response After PahalgamPM Modi From Red Fort: India’s Self-Reliance Push, Semiconductor Boom And Manufacturing SurgeRahul Gandhi, Kharge Skip Red Fort Event Again As Congress Flags Threats To Democratic InstitutionsPM Modi From Red Fort: India’s Self-Reliance Push, Semiconductor Boom And Manufacturing SurgePM Modi From Red Fort On 80th Independence Day: ‘India Must Dream Big And Move Forward’79 Years Of Freedom: What Do Indians Really Want From Their Country, Leaders And Democracy Now?NALSAR Row Erupts: CJI Raps BCI, As CJP Demands Resignation Of Bar Council Chief‘Why Rockets?’ Jaipur Residents Mock Potholes With Astronaut Protest After Monsoon Rains123Photostories10 baby girl names inspired by ancient flowersOptical illusion personality test: What you see first reveals your most irritating personality traitForget Medu Vada: 7 South Indian snacks that are worth a try with filter coffeeWhat happens when you rub lemon on dishes and cutlery? The real chemistry behind this kitchen hackMonsoon food poisoning: 7 everyday foods that can look safe but turn risky because of water, humidity and poor storageAbhishek Malhan’s luxurious mansion: A private swimming pool, home theatre, private lifts and moreTrisha Krishnan keeps it classic in a mustard saree as she attends CM Vijay’s first Independence Day ceremonyBigg Boss Tamil 10 ‘The Common Man’: From contestants to telecast time, here’s everything you need to knowRashtrapati Bhavan’s Independence Day At Home reception to serve these 7 dishes from 4 Indian statesIdli to Cheela: 9 ways to add sooji to daily breakfast123Hot PicksMartin Luther King JrRajasthan UCCDelhi trafficJharkhand protestEast Coast Railway GDCE recruitmentMP Class 10, 12 timetableIran warKarnataka bandhUP NEET UG counsellingTop TrendingOil Prices TodayIndiGo Fight CancelledDelhi High Court Bomb ThreatAmbala Sikh Community ProtestManan KumarVirender Singh BasoyaJP NaddaWeather TomorrowBengaluru RapidoAbhijeet Dipke
NEW DELHI: The food regulator failed to impose Rs 5.60 crore in penalties on 2,430 food businesses that either did not file or delayed filing mandatory annual returns, a CAG audit has found, raising questions over enforcement of basic food safety rules.An audit of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s (FSSAI) Eastern Region office in Kolkata found that 1,018 food businesses did not submit their annual returns, while 1,412 filed them late during 2017-18 to 2022-23.These returns provide FSSAI with information on the quantities of food products manufactured, handled, imported or exported by licensed food businesses during the year. They have to be submitted by May 31. Businesses that miss the deadline are liable to pay a penalty of Rs 100 for each day of delay, subject to the prescribed limit.CAG estimated that Rs 5.60 crore in penalties should have been imposed on the 2,430 businesses. However, the audit found that FSSAI had not imposed the penalties. It also noted that none of the defaulters had their licence suspended or cancelled as of August 2023.
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Following the audit, FSSAI said improvement notices had been issued to some defaulting food businesses and that notices would be issued again to all defaulters.Of the Rs 5.60 crore penalty identified by CAG, Rs 2.27 crore had been recovered, according to the report.The finding is significant because filing an annual return is a basic requirement for licensed food businesses. The audit has highlighted gaps in FSSAI’s monitoring and enforcement of this requirement.
