Vegetable vendors, hawkers and pushcart traders engaged in the sale of food items categorised as Food Business Operators (FBO) in the Food Safety and Standards Act beware.
The government has made registration of their businesses mandatory. FBOs must comply with guidelines and register themselves before February 4 failing which the enforcement agencies will start cracking down on their businesses. Registration of their businesses will not be a cumbersome process and it will be an across the counter affair for FBOs.
All that the FBOs need to do is to come prepared with two passport size photographs along with an identification proof and the registration will be completed in 15 minutes on payment of Rs. 100 along with service charges at the Mee Seva counter.
MoU signed
In yet another firsts to the State’s credit, the Central government has designated the citizen service network, Mee Seva as a nodal registering authority in the State and the registration services could be availed from the over 5,000 centres. State Food Safety Commissioner Praveen Prakash and Mee Seva director Gopinatha signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday and a few FBOs were issued registration certificates to mark the occasion. The food safety authority would launch a special drive in association with the Institute of Preventive Medicine to create awareness among the FBOs on the need to register their businesses. The registration is applicable to FBOs with less than Rs. 12 lakh turnover a year.
IPM director P. Sucharita Murthy said the institute would provide technical staff and coordinate with the enforcement authorities in spreading awareness about the need to adhere to safety standards in sale of food items. The new initiative would cover a few lakhs of hawkers/vendors across the State.
