FSSAI, the former Food Authority, has written to state food safety commissioners to expedite the processing of license renewal applications. The FSSAI has issued a notice in this regard asking the commissioners not to keep the applications pending.
“It is recommended that you do not submit any license renewal requests until you have submitted your returns. Such licenses can be properly renewed, and in the event of a failure / violation of the FBO, the relevant licensing authority can initiate appropriate penalties, ”the report says.
The matter related to the complaints the FSSAI received that some central and state licensing agencies are still pending license renewal for failure to confirm receipt of the annual return against that particular FBO.
In such cases, state food authorities asked questions to determine status and compliance was emphasized before processing the renewal request. This was a lengthy and time consuming process that resulted in „undue delays” in renewing licenses.
FSSAI, in its statement, says that the matter has been reviewed and it has been decided that while compliance with all terms of the existing license should be ensured by the FBOs, the practice of maintaining the renewal of the license to ensure the filing of returns may not be prudent, creating unnecessary delays and increasing dependency.
„Questions about the status of the submission of returns can be asked separately or via improvement notices, while ensuring that the license renewal is granted within the specified timeframe in accordance with the provisions of the FSS regulations,” the opinion said.
.