Jammu & Kashmir ranks first for a consecutive 3rd year in ‘Food Safety Index’

Jammu and Kashmir have achieved the top spot in the ‘Food Safety Index’ for the third consecutive year. It continues to hold the top position in the Union Territory category. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) publishes the index annually to assess how well states and UTs perform concerning various food safety parameters.

According to the official statement released on June 8, the Department of Food and Drugs Administration in J&K won the award for 2021, 2022, and 2023 for the third time in a row.

The Department of Food and Drugs Administration, J&K, received the award third time in a row for 2021, 2022 and 2023, an official statement said on June 8.

As per the reports, the award was received by Food Safety Commissioner Shakeel-ul-Rehman from Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, in the presence of Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar and Professor Satya Pal Singh Baghel, Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Chairman FSSAI, Rajesh Bhushan and CEO FSSAI, G Kamala Vardhana Rao.

According to a J&K government spokesman, “J&K also won first prize for having the maximum number of ‘Eat Right Mela’ districts in the country. These districts have implemented various initiatives of FSSAI to promote healthy and safe food habits among the consumers. This reflects the commitment and dedication of UT administration and the public towards ensuring food safety and hygiene in Jammu and Kashmir”.

He spokesman stated, “The Food Safety Index is a dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model that provides an objective framework for evaluating food safety across all States and UTs. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India began the State Food Safety Index evaluation process for 2022-2023 by undertaking correspondence with Food Safety Commissioners of all UTs/States to furnish the data for statistical evaluation. The critical indicator on the basis of which evaluation is done included Human Resources, Compliance Levels, Food Testing Infrastructure and Surveillance, Training, and Capacity Building besides Consumer Empowerment”.

He said that the award had been given by the FSSAI in recognition of outstanding work in the financial year 2022–2023 in implementing the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, as well as “Eat Right initiatives”.

To maintain an impeccable record in food safety J&K’s Department of Food and Drugs Administration conducted 29342 inspections, tested 11848 legal samples, filed 1606 prosecutions, imposed a penalty of Rs 14805850, compounded 774 cases with a fine of Rs 1104300, and conducted 11380 tests, 155 pieces of training, 414 awareness programmes through mobile food testing vans.

To receive special recognition in implementing Eat Right initiative, the J&K government granted 162 License/Registration melas, 43 FoSTaC training programmes, 588 certifications under Hygiene Rating of Hotels, Restaurants, Dhabas, Meat Shops and Sweets Shops, 50 Certifications under Eat Right Campuses, 7 Certifications under Eat Right Places of Worship, 15 Certifications under Eat Right School and lifting of 16998 Kg of Used Cooking Oil from the Food Markets for its diversion for biodiesel manufacturing.

The Food Safety Commissioner of J&K acknowledged “the overwhelming support provided by the Government of UT of J&K and FSSAI in terms of capacity building by providing sufficient financial assistance to the department for supporting the cause to ensure food safety and healthy food practices”.

He also thanked the “Stakeholders including food business operators, consumers, civil society and aligned departments for joining hands towards achieving the objective of a healthy nation”.