Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 20: Union Territory of J&K has attained 3rd rank among the States/UTs in Food Safety Index 2023-24, conferred by FSSAI every year.
The award was presented by Union Minister Health & Family Welfare Jagat Prakash Nadda in the presence of Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Minister of New and Renewable Energy at Bharat Mandapam and CEO FSSAI G Kamala Vardhana Rao on the eve of Second Edition of Global Food Regulators Summit 2024 hosted by FSSAI alongside the World Food India in New Delhi.
The Food Safety Index is a dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model that provides an objective framework for evaluating food safety across all States/UTs. The critical indicators on the basis of which evaluation is done includes Human Resource, Compliance Levels, Food Testing Infrastructure and Surveillance, Training and Capacity Building and Consumer Empowerment.
The UT of J&K awarded 3rd position for performance in the implementation of FSS Act, 2006 in the financial year 2023-24 that includes enforcement activities like Inspections, Sampling, Analysis, Prosecutions, Compounding as well as Eat Righ Initiatives/FSSAI Flagship Programmes like Food Fortification, FoSTaC Training, Hygiene Rating, Eat Right Campuses, Eat Right Places of Worship, Eat Right School Repurpose Used Cooking Oil, License/Registration Melas, Eat Right Station, Clean Street Food etc.
Commissioner FDA, J&K has attributed the award to the selfless and committed efforts put in by the functionaries of the department who are empowered to perform statutory duties under FSS Act, 2006 Rules and Regulations 2011.
He has acknowledge the overwhelming support provided by Govt 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.