Mumbai: With the festival season underway, the Food Safety and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a statewide campaign to curb adulteration and ensure food safety. This year, the drive is expected to be more effective as the FDA has been reinforced with 189 newly appointed officials.
189 New Recruits Join FDA Ranks
The FDA’s total sanctioned strength is 350 posts, but until recently, it was functioning with just 132 employees. Following repeated requests from FDA Commissioner Rajesh Narvekar, the department has now received 189 candidates through the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC).
“Due to manpower shortages, our actions sometimes lacked the desired effectiveness. The new recruits have completed training and will be deployed during the festive season,” Narvekar said.
Over the years, the number of food establishments across the state has grown significantly, but the sanctioned posts in the FDA have remained unchanged at 350. As per norms, there should be one food safety official for every 1,000 establishments.
Current Workforce Still Below Required Strength
“Given that Maharashtra has around 11.20 lakh registered establishments, we actually require about 1,100 officials,” Narvekar explained. He added that the FDA will propose to the state government to raise the sanctioned posts to at least 600 — matching Uttar Pradesh, which currently has the highest sanctioned strength in the country.
Special Drive to Run Until October 25
In the first phase, the special drive will run until October 25, with the overall mission continuing through Diwali. The FDA aims to test 3,000 food samples and train 7,500 Food Business Operators (FBOs) across Maharashtra. Inspectors have been instructed to check establishments, collect samples of sweets, oils, hotel food, and raw materials, and send them for laboratory testing.
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Joint Effort Between Officials, Producers, and Consumers
“This time, the drive goes beyond regulatory enforcement — it’s a shared responsibility between officials, food producers, and consumers,” Narvekar said. The FDA will also conduct direct sessions with manufacturers to train them in safe food production and quality standards.
