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Food biz operators shell out 38L fine
The Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has recovered over Rs 38.33 lakh from 441 food manufacturers, packers and labellers in Pune as a fine for not filing their annual returns in time for the financial year 2014-15.
The FDA has also directed licensed food business operators, having an annual turnover of Rs 12 lakh and above, to submit their returns by May 31, failing which a fine of Rs 100 a day would be levied.
“Food business operators are asked to submit annual returns of their transactions made till March-end after the new Act came into force in August 2011. The Act aims at bringing the food industry under one umbrella by scrapping all old licences. The food industry needs to be regulated in order to ensure food safety,” said Shashikant Kekare, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Pune.
The city has over 9,000 licensed food business operators, who have an annual turnover of Rs 12 lakh and above. They include food manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, recyclers, processors, transporters, restaurants, hotels and catering business operators.
“As per the Food Safety and Standards Act and Regulations 2011 (licensing and registration), the business operators have to submit the returns in the particular format (form D-1). Only owners of milk businesses have been asked to submit the returns in half yearly format as given in form D-2,” said Dilip Sangat, assistant commissioner (food), FDA, Pune. Jim Brown Jersey
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