Key Update 

The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), chaired by senior Congress leader K.C. Venugopal, met on Friday to examine key concerns related to food safety and quality control. Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava and FSSAI CEO Rajit Punhani attended the meeting on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Committee members raised serious concerns over the ongoing sale of adulterated food products, particularly adulterated sweets sold during the festive season. They noted that the issue persists despite repeated warnings and enforcement drives.

CAG Report Highlights Manpower Gaps in FSSAI

Members also referred to the Comptroller and Auditor General’s (CAG) findings, which revealed a severe manpower shortage within FSSAI. The committee asked officials to explain what measures had been taken to address staffing gaps. They further questioned the rise of misleading advertisements for food products, inadequate label scrutiny, and FSSAI’s continued outsourcing of technical work instead of strengthening internal capabilities.

PAC Demands Detailed Replies, Plans Follow-up Meeting

After the deliberations, the PAC directed the Health Ministry and FSSAI to submit detailed written responses to all issues raised. The committee said it would convene a follow-up meeting to review their submissions and assess the progress made.

Source: The Hindu