FSSAI

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was set up in 2008 for the proper monitoring of food hygiene and quality in India. It was functional from 2011 and ever since has been responsible for managing food safety in our country. 

The FSSAI has its headquarters at New Delhi. The authority also has 6 regional offices located in Delhi, Guwahati, Mumbai, Kolkata, Cochin, and Chennai.

The organisation has been set up as per the FSS Act 2006, until which different acts and laws were being administered under the various ministries of Government. 

ORIGIN

FSS Act, 2006 consolidates various acts & orders that had earlier handled food related issues in various Ministries and Departments, such as–

Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954

Fruit Products Order, 1955

Meat Food Products Order, 1973

Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947

Edible Oils Packaging (Regulation) Order 1988

Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992

These were repealed after commencement of FSS Act, 2006.

FSSAI was consequently established in 2008 but work within the Food Authority effectively began in 2011 after its Rules and key Regulations were notified.

This marked a shift from a multi-level to a single line of control with focus on self-compliance rather than a pure regulatory regime.

The Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 states:

“An Act to consolidate the laws relating to food and to establish the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India for laying 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 and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”

Until this law was passed, the following acts were being followed to manage the food security in the country:

• Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947
• Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954
• Fruit Products Order, 1955
• Meat Food Products Order, 1973

A few other acts were also implemented. But the Government passed the FSS Act in 2006, which was an amalgamation of all the terms and regulations mentioned in the above acts combined together. 

COMPOSITION OF FSSAI

If we talk about the composition of board members leading the organisation from the front, the structure of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India comprises:

Chairman – Appointed by the Central Government

22 other members, of which one-third must be women

Apart from this, a strong team of scientists and researchers for the testing of food quality. Separate committees and panels are also formed with experts from scientific backgrounds.

FUNCTIONS OF FSSAI

Following functions are performed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India:

Setting Rules and Guidelines – FSSAI sets up rules and guidelines which need to be followed by all food manufacturing companies, keeping into consideration hygiene and food safety

Granting License – To pursue any food related business, the owner needs to get a certificate and license with the permission of FSSAI

Test the Standard of Food – the standard and quality of food manufactured by all companies registered under FSSAI, is done by the organisation themselves

Regular Audits – Proper inspection is done for food-producing and manufacturing companies to ensure the standards are at par with the guidelines

Spreading Food Safety Awareness – It is the responsibility of FSSAI to spread awareness and inform the citizens about the importance of safe and hygienic food consumption

Maintain Records and Data – FSSAI also has the responsibility to maintain proper records and data of all the registered organisations. Any violation of rules prescribed by FSSAI can lead to the termination of the license

Keeping the Government Updated – Any food safety-related threat must be informed to the Government authorities for further action. Also, assist them in framing food standard policies

INITIATIVES BY FSSAI

Eat Right India – The aim is not just to provide food to one and all, but to provide quality food to everyone. With this initiative, FSSAI intends to make good quality food accessible to every citizen of the country

Clean Street Food – This involves training the street food vendors and making them aware of the violations as per the FSS Act 2006. This will also help in the social and economic up-liftment of street food vendors

Diet For Life – This is another initiative taken by FSSAI, to spread awareness about metabolic disorders.

Save Food, Share Food, Share Joy – Encouraging people to avoid food wastage and promote food donation. Through this, FSSAI intends to connect food-collecting agencies with the food-producing companies and share the food with the ones in need

 the first-ever World Food Safety Day was celebrated on June 7, 2019, by FSSAI, acknowledging the contribution of states, food businesses, and individuals in maintaining food safety.

Heart Attack Rewind – It is the first mass media campaign of FSSAI. It is aimed to support FSSAI’s target of eliminating trans fat in India by the year 2022.

FSSAI-CHIFSS – It is collaboration between FSSAI and CII-HUL Initiative on Food Safety Sciences to promote collaborations between Industry, Scientific Community, Academia for food safety.

Swasth Bharat Yatra – It is a Pan-India cycle movement called as ‘Eat Right India' aimed to create consumer awareness about eating safe and nutritious food.

CHALLENGES FOR  FSSAI

• Proper laboratories for testing the quality of food need to be organised by the Organisation
• Arranging qualified manpower to test and approve the standards of food being manufactured
• Re-evaluating the regulations and terms as per international standards
• Gaining funds to get advanced technologies 
• Ensuring proper licensing of every food manufacturing individual or business
• Once the Government of India and FSSAI overcome these shortcomings, the organisation is capable of regulating and maintaining the food safety standards in all parts of the country. 

Landmark cases with FSSAI:

Nestle India Limited Maggi Case: The maggi noodles were reported with excess lead unfit for human consumption and FSSAI prescribed for ban.

Cadbury India: It was reported that worms was found in Cadbury's Dairy Milk. The FSSAI declared packaging was not proper or airtight and made it mandatory to change the packaging.

KEY POINTS

1. Set standards of food products
2. Develop safe food practices
3. License food businesses
4. Ensure compliance through inspections
5. Test food for standards
6. Train and build capacity
7. Citizens Outreach

NABARD

• NABARD came into existence on 12^th July 1982 by transferring the agricultural credit functions of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and refinance functions of the then Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation (ARDC).
• It is a statutory body established under ‘National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Act, 1981’.

• It is a development bank focussing primarily on the rural sector of the country.
• It is the apex banking institution to provide finance for Agriculture and rural development.

Co-operation with RBI

• RBI provides 3 directors to NABARD’s Board of Directors.
• NABARD provides recommendations to RBI on issue of licenses to Cooperative Banks, opening of new branches by State Cooperative Banks and RRBs.
• Headquarters: Mumbai

Functions of NABARD

The functions of NABARD are described below.

In order to build an empowered and financially inclusive rural India, NABARD has specific departments that work towards the desired goals. These departments can be collectively categorized into three majors units:

• Financial
• Developmental
• Supervision
• The financial support necessary to build rural infrastructure is provided by NABARD.
• Preparation of district-level credit plans by NABARD are used to guide and motivate the banking industry to achieve required targets. 
• NABARD also supervises the Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) and Cooperative Banks along with developing their banking practices and integrating them to the Core Banking Solution (CBS) platform.
• NABARD also helps handicraft artisans sell their products by training and providing a marketing platform for them.
• NABARD has partnered with various leading global organisations and institutions affiliated with the World Bank that have played a role in transforming agriculture.
• It offers advisory services and financial assistance provided by these international partners to help in consultation with rural development and other agricultural practices.
• CONTIRIBUTION OF NABARD
• NABARD Contributions Kisan Credit Card Scheme:
• This scheme was introduced in 1998 in association with RBI to provide crop loans.
• RuPay Kisan Cards:
• All farmer clients were provided with RuPay cards trying to bring a technological change in the rural financial sector.
• UGC

Established in 1953, the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India comes under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) with its head office located in New Delhi. 

The UGC was established in 1953 and made into a statutory organisation with the UGC Act in 1956.

UGC is responsible for coordinating, determining and maintaining standards of higher education.

The University Grants Commission provides recognition to universities in India and disburses funds to such recognised universities and colleges.

The UGC has its Head Office in New Delhi and six regional offices:

Bengaluru

Bhopal

Guwahati

Hyderabad

Kolkata

Pune

In 2018, the Ministry of Human Resource Development announced its plans to repeal the UGC Act, 1956. 

The bill also stipulates the formation of a new body, the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI).

The attempts to formalise a national educational system in India started during the British Raj. The University Grants Committee was formed in 1945 to oversee the functioning of the three central universities of the time – Aligarh, Delhi and Banaras. Its responsibility was extended in 1947 to cover all Indian universities.

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is an organisation that assesses and accredits higher education Institutions (HEIs) in India.

It is an autonomous body funded by the University Grants Commission and headquartered in Bangalore.

UGC MANDATE

The UGC has the unique distinction of being the only grant-giving agency in the country which has been vested with two responsibilities: that of providing funds and that of coordination, determination and maintenance of standards in institutions of higher education. The UGC’s mandate includes:

Promoting and coordinating university education.

Determining and maintaining standards of teaching, examination and research in universities.

Framing regulations on minimum standards of education.

Monitoring developments in the field of collegiate and university education; disbursing grants to the universities and colleges.

Serving as a vital link between the Union and State governments and institutions of higher learning.

Advising the Central and State governments on the measures necessary for the improvement of university education.